Biomedical aspects of chiral molecules

This article defines some of the terms used in chiral chemistry and some of the basic mechanistic issues that arise in stereochemistry in pharmacology. Attention is also drawn to the impact of stereochemistry on drug regulation and its significance for new drug development. The stereoselectivity of drugs is underpinned by the fact that the human body is essentially a chiral structure. The rationale for development of chiral drugs is the suggestion that single stereoisomer drugs would provide superior therapy by allowing reductions in dosage, reduced variability in metabolism and response, simpler dose-response relationships and improved tolerability.