Enhanced solubility of galangin based on the complexation with methylated microbial cyclosophoraoses

Methylated cyclosophoraoses (M-Cys) were synthesized by reaction using dimethyl sulfate with native Cys (unbranched cyclic β-1,2-d-glucans) isolated from Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar viciae VF-39. Its structure was proven using nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Based on the enhanced hydrophobicity by methylation of Cys, we investigated the inclusion property with the water-insoluble flavonoid, galangin, through a phase solubility study using ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy. The solubility of galangin was enhanced 5.6-fold according to the added concentrations (1 mM) of M-Cys, compared to the 1.9-fold and 3.4-fold enhancements by β-Cyclodextrin (β-CD) and heptakis (2,6-di-O-methyl)-β-cyclodextrin (DM-β-CD), respectively. M-Cys was also shown to have the highest binding constant (5,534 M^?1) with galangin among the tested host molecules (β-CD, DM-β-CD, Cys, and M-Cys). From this result, we can infer that the complex of galangin with M-Cys is more stable than any of the other host molecules. The continuous variation method showed that the galangin/M-Cys complex was suitable for 1:1 stoichiometry. The formation of the complex was confirmed with ¹H NMR, FT-IR, differential scanning calorimetry, and scanning electron microscopy. Furthermore, the hypothetical molecular model of 1:1 galangin/M-Cys complex was suggested by molecular docking simulations. The cytotoxicity to the human cervical adenocarcinoma cell lines was enhanced by the galangin/M-Cys complex compared with free galangin. The obtained results indicate that M-Cys can be utilized as an effective complexing agent for galangin.