Spectroscopic investigations of newly formed betulin-cyclodextrin guest–host type complexes as potential anti skin cancer candidates

Betulin and the related compounds found in the outer bark of the birch tree have attached an increasing interest in the pharmaceutical formulation, due to their anti-cancer activity. Betulin exhibits a very poor solubility; therefore new approaches are required, such as the preparation of the guest–host type complexes using cyclodextrins. The new prepared betulin – hydroxy-propyl-gamma-cyclodextrin (HPGCD) complexes have been obtained and characterized using vibrational spectroscopic techniques in conjunction with quantum chemical calculation.