#chiralpedia

The Hidden Chirality in Drug Metabolites: A metabolic blind spot

Leave a Comment / Chiral science, Chirality, Drug stereochemistry / By / , , , , / October 26, 2025

“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 it into one or more metabolites. We often assume these are simply inactive breakdown products, but chemistry rarely plays it …

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When Drug Labels Miss the Twist: The regulatory bind spot

Leave a Comment / Chiral Pharmacology, Chiral science, Chirality / By / , , , , , / October 24, 2025

“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 always shaped pharmacology. One mirror image of a molecule (an enantiomer) can save lives, while its twin may do little …

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Part 10: Stereochemistry in Pharmaceutical Sciences – Current Trends and Future Directions

Leave a Comment / Stereochemistry / By / , , / October 6, 2025

“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 toolkit for chiral synthesis, and the 2021 Nobel recognition of this field – implying more green and metal-free asymmetric processes …

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Part 9: Stereochemistry in Drug Discovery and Development

Leave a Comment / Stereochemistry / By / , , / October 3, 2025

“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 and how structure-activity relationships (SAR) can depend on stereochemistry. We also look at how screening libraries incorporate stereochemical diversity, and …

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Ibuprofen

Leave a Comment / Chiral Pharmacology, Chiral science / By / , , / September 29, 2025

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 prescription medication worldwide. Chirality and Biological Activity Structurally, Ibuprofen is a chiral molecule with one stereogenic center at the α-position …

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Part 7: Analytical Techniques for Stereochemistry

Leave a Comment / Stereochemistry / By / , , , / October 2, 2025

“Measuring handedness – tools and techniques that bring chirality into focus” Introduction Ensuring the correct stereochemistry and measuring stereochemical purity is a crucial aspect of pharmaceutical quality control and research. This part covers the major analytical techniques used to distinguish and quantify enantiomers and diastereomers in drug substances and products. Key techniques include: We’ll discuss how these techniques are applied in practice: e.g., during process development, a chiral HPLC method is developed to monitor enantiomeric …

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Part 5: Stereoselective and Stereospecific Synthesis

Leave a Comment / Stereochemistry / By / , , / September 10, 2025

“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 stereoisomer over others (e.g., one enantiomer or one diastereomer is favored), whereas a stereospecific reaction produces different stereoisomeric products from …

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Part 1: Introduction to Stereochemistry

Leave a Comment / Chirality, Stereochemistry / By / , , / August 27, 2025

“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 molecule that is non-superimposable on its mirror image – much like one’s left and right hands. A molecule that exhibits …

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Chiral Bioequivalence – An Explainer  

Leave a Comment / Chiral science, Chirality / By / , , / February 17, 2025

Introduction Chirality, or “handedness,” is the unique property of molecules that exist as non-superimposable mirror images, known as enantiomers. Drugs that exhibit handedness are referred to as chiral drugs. Chiral medications consisting of an equal (1:1) mixture of enantiomers are called Racemic drugs. In drug development, chirality is incredibly important because most biological molecules, like enzymes and receptors, are chiral. This characteristic affects how a drug interacts with biological targets, leading to significant differences in …

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Chiral Switch: Unlocking the Potential of Single Enantiomers

Leave a Comment / Chiral science, Chirality / By / , / August 17, 2025

Synopsis Welcome to an exploration of Chiral Switch!!! Chiral switching revolutionizes the pharmaceutical landscape by transforming racemic drugs into their more effective single-enantiomer forms, enhancing therapeutic efficacy and reducing side effects This blog post delves into the intriguing realm of chiral switches, presenting key concepts such as chiral switch strategies, their advantages, and the regulatory environment focusing on bridging studies. An engaging mind map highlights notable case studies, both successful and unsuccessful, and also examines …

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