Twenty years of dextrin research: a tribute to Professor Hans Pringsheim (1876-1940)

Cyclodextrins are cyclic oligosaccharides obtained by enzymatic degradation of starch. These substances find numerous applications in chemistry, biology, biochemistry, health sciences, cosmetology, and agriculture. Cyclodextrins, first calledcellulosinesor dextrins, were discovered in 1891 by the French Professor Antoine Villiers, then studied in detail by the Austrian Professor Franz Schardinger between 1903 and 1911. In the history of cyclodextrins comes the name of the German Professor Pringsheim, who from 1912 onwards was interested in their chemistry and biochemistry for more than 20 years. Professor Pringsheim is the first and most prolific researcher in the field of dextrins, publishing 37 articles and 4 reviews between 1912 and 1933. He highlighted the relationship between dextrins and amylose and amylopectin ``molecules'' and, mostly, he discovered that dextrins and their acetate derivatives tended to form complexes with various organic compounds. The purpose of this historical review, on the eightieth anniversary of his death, is to commemorate his contribution to dextrin chemistry.