Abstract

SIGNIFICANCE OF STEREOCHEMISTRY AND EUDESMIC RATIO IN CHIRAL DRUG DEVELOPMENT

Shilpa T.*, Varalakshmi Devi K.

Abstract

Stereochemistry is the study of properties of molecules with respect to spatial arrangement of atoms or groups. A chiral molecule is a molecule which lacks an internal plane of symmetry and has a non superimposable mirror image. The chiral drug has two different stereo isomers with different configurations and complementary binding sites which includes enzymes and receptors. The chiral enantiomer which has desired pharmacological activity or potent enantiomer is called eutomer. The chiral enantiomer which have unwanted activity or inert or toxic is called distomer. The ratio of potency of eutomer to that of the distomer is called eudesmic ratio. It shows the difference in pharmacological activity of eutomer and toxic activity of distomer. Development of a single enantiomer from old racemates is an racemic mixture or chiral switch. Chiral resolution is a procedure of separation of racemic chiral drug into individual isomers. Various analytical techniques are used in development of chiral resolution.

Keywords: Stereochemistry, chiral enantiomer, eutomer, distomer, chiral resolution.