The state of the art of the electrochemistry of a-, p-, and y-cyclodextrins (CDs) and cyclodextrin inclusion complexes and their polarographic and voltammetric assay are reviewed. The polarographic and voltammetric determination of physicochemical parameters of CD inclusion complexes are discussed.Practical applications of adsorption and inclusion effects for electroanalytical purposes are presented; future prospects are discussed, and 95 references are given.Cyclodextrins (CDs) are cyclic oligomers of six (a-CD), seven (8-DC), or eight (y-DC)( 1 + 4)-linked a-D-glycopyranose units [l-101. The structure and the approximative geometrical dimensions of cyclodextrins are shown in Figure 1A. As a result of the torus shape, with the primary and secondary hydroxyl groups forming the narrower and wider rim of the molecule, respectively (Fig. lB), the cavity is hydrophobic and the outer surface is hydrophilic. Physical properties of cyclodextrins are summarized in Table 1 [ 3, 9, 101. Because of their unique structure and physicochemical properties, the cyclodextrins are able to form inclusion complexes with a wide variety of hydrophobic molecules having a diameter of 5-8 A [ 1,2,. In these adducts, 6 1991 VCH Publishers, Inc.1040-0397/91/$3.50 + .25 Publications concerning electrochemical work on CDs can be divided into those concerned with: