“Chirality isn’t hidden — we just stopped looking closely enough” The Unseen Journey After the Dose: 💊 When a patient swallows a drug, the journey is far from over. Sometimes, the real chiral story begins after the dose. The drug molecule meets a series of enzymes — oxidases, reductases, transferases — each capable of transforming …
The Hidden Chirality in Drug Metabolites: A metabolic blind spot Read More »
“When chemistry tells two stories, the label should tell both” Drug labels tell us what’s inside — but not always how the molecule twists. And sometimes, that subtle twist changes everything: how a drug acts, how it’s regulated, and even whether it’s safe or addictive. Chirality — the property of handedness in molecules — has …
When Drug Labels Miss the Twist: The regulatory bind spot Read More »
“Beyond today – emerging trends shaping the future of stereochemistry in pharma” Introduction The landscape of stereochemistry in pharmaceutical sciences continues to evolve with scientific and technological advances. This final part looks at emerging trends and future challenges. These include: – New developments in asymmetric catalysis, such as organocatalysts (MacMillan/List catalysts) that have expanded the …
“From hit to lead to medicine – where stereochemistry shapes every stage of discovery” Introduction Stereochemistry is not only crucial in the final stages of drug production – it plays a significant role right from the discovery and lead optimization phases. In this part, we consider how medicinal chemists account for chirality when designing compounds …
Part 9: Stereochemistry in Drug Discovery and Development Read More »
Ibuprofen is a widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It is a monocarboxylic acid that is propionic acid in which one of the hydrogens at position 2 is substituted by a 4-(2-methylpropyl)phenyl group. Hence belongs to the propionic acid derivative class of NSAIDs. It is commonly prescribed for pain, inflammation, and fever. Available as over-the-counter (OTC) and …
“Nature’s stereochemists – chirality in biologics, peptides, and natural products” Introduction Stereochemistry is inherent in biological macromolecules and natural products. This part explores chirality beyond small synthetic drugs – specifically, in biologics (peptides, proteins, nucleic acids) and in natural product-derived drugs. We examine how nature’s biosynthetic machinery imparts stereochemistry with high fidelity (e.g., enzymes produce …
Part 8: Stereochemistry in Biologics and Natural Products Read More »
“Crafting molecules with precision – the art of stereochemical synthesis” Introduction Having seen why the correct stereochemistry is crucial for drug efficacy and safety, the next challenge is how to obtain the desired stereoisomer. This part covers strategies and methods in stereoselective and stereospecific synthesis. We clarify the terminology: a stereoselective reaction preferentially yields one …
Part 5: Stereoselective and Stereospecific Synthesis Read More »
“Why one enantiomer heals while the other may harm – the pharmacology of chirality” Introduction Chirality doesn’t just influence drug properties in theory – it has very real consequences in pharmacology. In this section, we explore how stereochemistry affects drug action at multiple levels: pharmacodynamics (drug-receptor interactions) and pharmacokinetics (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion). We will …
Part 4: Stereochemistry in Drug Action and Pharmacology Read More »
“Decoding the rules: how chemists name and navigate molecular twists.” Introduction Correctly describing the stereochemistry of a molecule is as important as understanding it. In this part, we focus on the Cahn–Ingold–Prelog (CIP) system, which provides the rules for unambiguous assignment of absolute configuration at stereocenters (R/S) and for double bond geometry (E/Z) system. We …
“The 3D language of molecules – why stereochemistry is the hidden key in drug science.” Introduction Stereochemistry is the branch of chemistry concerned with the three-dimensional arrangement of atoms in molecules and how this spatial arrangement influences chemical behavior. The term “chirality” (from the Greek cheir meaning hand) describes the property of an object or …