#cMOTW

Esomeprazole

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Esomeprazole is used to treat conditions where there is too much acid in the stomach. It is used to treat duodenal and gastric ulcers, erosive esophagitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, a condition wherein the stomach produces too much acid. It was launched by AstraZeneca, in 2000. Esomeprazole magnesium [AstraZeneca; http://www.astrazeneca.com] (gastrointestinal). Chirality and biological activity Esomeprazole is the (S)-(−)-enantiomer of (±)-omeprazole. It is a chiral switch (Read more about chiral switch @ my page …

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Ethambutol

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(S,S)-(+)-Ethambutol is powerful and selective antitubercular drug. It is a classical example of an old drug that was introduced for clinical use in its chirally pure form. Chirality and biological activity Ethambutol contains two constitutionally symmetrical stereogenic centers in its structure and exists in three stereoisomeric forms. An enantiomeric pair (S,S)- and (R,R)-ethambutol, along with the achiral stereoisomer called meso-form. The activity of the drug resides in the (S,S)-(+)-enantiomer which is 500 and 12 fold more …

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Levofloxacin

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Levofloxacin is a third generation fluoroquinolone that is widely used in the treatment of mild-to-moderate respiratory and urinary tract infections due to sensitive organisms.  Levofloxacin is an antibacterial prescription medicine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of certain bacterial infections, such as community-acquired pneumonia, acute worsening of chronic bronchitis, anthrax, urinary tract infections, acute sinus infections, and others. Chirality and biological activity Levofloxacin, the S-enantiomer of the previously marketed …

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Ascorbic acid

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L-(+)-Ascorbic Acid is another old chiral drug from natural source. It is a water-soluble vitamin (Vitamin C). Ascorbic acid is a potent reducing and antioxidant agent that functions in fighting bacterial infections, in detoxifying reactions, and in the formation of collagen in fibrous tissue, teeth, bones, connective tissue, skin, and capillaries. Found in citrus and other fruits, and in vegetables, Vitamin C cannot be produced or stored by humans and must be obtained in the …

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Quinine

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Most fascinating old chiral drug, from historical point of view, is Quinine. It is known that by early 1600s quinine was being used by South American natives, in Peru, Ecuador, as a crude preparation from the bark of the Cinchona tree for the treatment of malaria. Chirality and biological activity Quinine contains two major fused ring systems: aromatic quinoline and bicyclic quiniclidine. The molecule contains four stereogenic carbon centers at C-3, C-4, C-8 and C-9, respectively …

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Morphine

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Many medicinal agents important to life are combinations of mirror-image twins called chiral compounds. These twins may look very similar, yet their biological makeup might differ significantly. In other words, the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles of the individual enantiomers that make up a racemic chiral medication might drastically vary. The Chiral Molecule of the Week #cMOTW is an effort to highlight significant chiral compounds with therapeutic value. Follow us for more …… Nature is not even …

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