Thalidomide is a stereo isomer meaning it has two forms for the same molecule,
a dextro-rotary form and a levo-rotary form. Dextro-rotary isomers rotate
plane polarized light to the right and levo-rotary forms rotate plane polarized
light to the left. Take a look at your hands and you will see that both are
hands but they will not superimpose on each other. This is the idea in stereo
compounds. When thalidomide was first synthesized it was a mixture of both
isomers in a form called a racemic miixture and included both dextro- and
levo-rotary forms of the isomer. The human body prefers levo-rotary compounds
by nature. At the time thalidomide was synthesized, researchers did not know
how to chemically separate a racemic mixture of stereoisomers. Thus, the drug
thalidomide was administered to patients in its racemic form. Later research
proved the dextro-rotary form of thalidomide produced child deformities while
the levo-rotary form did not. As chemistry separation techniques advanced it
became possible to separate the thalidomide isomers into relatively pure
compounds. I do not know if thalidomide is useful today. This whole area of
separating stereo-compounds is still a problem for chemists today. In fact, my
chemistry professor was trying to develop a resin that would filter and
separate racemic mixtures. He never succeeded. Probably a Nobel prize awaits
the chemist who succeeds
Barry
Thalidomid ( initially known as "DE:Contergan" )
was marketed as a Sedative drug
prescribed for
Sleeping problems
Morning Sickness
the later was what screwed the pooch.
What turned it FUBAR was ignoring
upcoming deformation in babies.
Uwe