Study points to new active compound that could control body odour

Cyclodextrins are a family of compounds made up of sugar molecules bound together in a ring, produced from starch by means of enzymatic conversion.

They are an attractive ingredient for encapsulating materials because they are naturally occurring cyclooligosaccharides characterized by a high degree of safety when used topically.

The research team, from the University of Bari and ACRAF Angelini Research Center in Italy, were initially aiming to prove the capability of beta-cyclodextrin to interact with some representative molecules responsible to cause body malodour, such as carboxylic acids, thiols and steroids, present in sweat and body secretions.

Their study, published in the International Journal of Cosmetics Science​, showed that all considered systems are able to interact with relatively weak association constants with beta-cyclodextrin, in a 1:1 host–guest ratio.

“From these findings, it is possible to conclude that beta-cyclodextrin is capable to interact with different components present in the sweat and body secretion, forming inclusion complexes,”​ says the study.

“For this reason, beta-cyclodextrin could be an active component in deodorants as well as in other personal care formulations.”​

Body odour worries​

Body odour is one of the most familiar smells to a person with secretion by the skin's sebaceous and sweat glands and waste product plaque from the stratum corneum, the most common influences.

The human scent is known to vary by individual and it can be considered an important signal that can indicate a person's state of cleanliness and overall physical condition. It is also affected differently by gender, age, eating habits, living environment and race.

Usually, body malodour is associated with a negative impression and can affect self-confidence, and we often look to eliminate or reduce it noticeably, with deodorants and perfumes.

In their study, the scientists suggest there are some drawback effects that limit the use of personal care products such as the use of high levels of fragrance to mask malodour or changing the balance of the skin's bacterial population.

They suggest that cyclodextrins (CDs) are a new class of cosmetic ingredients that could be used to control the odour by complexation of molecules responsible of unpleasant smell.

“They possess an internal hydrophobic cavity in which different lipophilic compounds can be included, although their hydrophilic external surface makes the host–guest inclusion complexes mostly water soluble,”​ notes the research.