Extended Biphen[3]arene Sulfonate Relieves Irritation of Capsaicin via Host–Guest Complexation

Capsaicin (CP), a pungent component of chill pepper, can be readily touched by the general population in daily life. Acute and sharp irritation of CP will lead to a series of pathological symptoms, and specific schemes are needed for counteracting this agent. Herein, an extended biphen[3]arene sulfonate (ExBP3S) was designed and synthesized as a decontamination material toward CP via a supramolecular sequestration approach. At room temperature, 2 mM ExBP3S could increase the solubility of CP by a factor of ∼50 by forming a host-guest complex. Safety tests preliminarily proved that such macrocyclic derivatives possess good biocompatibility within the examination range. At the cellular level, complexation by ExBP3S was able to significantly decrease the cytotoxicity of CP through inhibiting apoptotic situation caused by the accumulation of reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, on the Kunming mice model, two manners including premixed with ExBP3S or wiped off by ExBP3S have been demonstrated to be effective to alleviate CP-induced irritation on skin surface.