의약품의 손대칭성과 생리 활성

Chirality of Drug Molecules and Biological Activity

Chirality is important in the context of biological activity because at a molecular level, asymmetry dominates biological process. While most pharmaceuticals of natural origin are single enantiomers, most of the synthesized chiral drugs are used in the form of racemic mixtures of two or more diastereomers. The enantiomers of a racemic drug generally differ in pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties as a consequence of stereoselective interaction with optically active molecular components of living organism. In pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics enantioselectivity plays an important role. The information on the sum of eutomer and distorter in a racemic drugs is very important in the estimation of therapeutic advantage and/or toxicity of racemates. The choice of preferentially developing a single enantiomer should be based on actual therapeutic advantages and especially improved safety.