Thalidomide
Thalidomide is a drug that was banned in the 1960s because its chiral enantiomers caused severe birth defects, and it is a classic case in the safety of chiral drugs.
Timeline (last 90 days)
In the thalidomide (Contergan) incident, the (R)-configuration had a sedative effect, while the (S)-configuration caused severe teratogenicity; this incident prompted regulatory agencies in various countries to require that chiral drugs must have their stereochemical composition clearly defined and be marketed as a single enantiomer whenever possible.
The R configuration of thalidomide has sedative and analgesic effects, while the S configuration is teratogenic.
The thalidomide (Contergan) incident is a typical case of a chiral drug tragedy, as the left- and right-handed versions of many drugs have completely different biological activities.
The two enantiomers of the same drug may bind to different receptors in the human body, leading to differences in efficacy or even toxic side effects, which is also an important reason for the thalidomide incident in the 1960s.
One enantiomer of thalidomide has a sedative effect, while the other carries a risk of teratogenicity.
The thalidomide (Contergan) incident: from the late 1950s to the early 1960s, thalidomide was used in racemic form to relieve morning sickness in pregnant women, causing severe limb defects in more than 10,000 infants, which drove global drug regulatory reform and required that the two enantiomers of chiral drugs be evaluated separately.
The thalidomide tragedy occurred because the drug contained mirror-image isomers, causing a large number of newborns to be born with congenital defects.
The thalidomide incident directly prompted drug regulatory agencies worldwide to require that new drug applications must clearly specify the biological activity and toxicity of each enantiomer.
Thalidomide, sold as a racemate in the 1950s–60s, had one enantiomer with sedative and antiemetic effects while the other was strongly teratogenic, resulting in thousands of infants born with severe limb defects.
The R-form enantiomer of thalidomide has an antiemetic effect, while the S-form enantiomer is strongly teratogenic, and the two forms also interconvert within the body.
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All Facts (11)
The thalidomide (Contergan) incident: from the late 1950s to the early 1960s, thalidomide was used in racemic form to relieve morning sickness in pregnant women, causing severe limb defects in more than 10,000 infants, which drove global drug regulatory reform and required that the two enantiomers of chiral drugs be evaluated separately.
60%UnverifiedIn the thalidomide (Contergan) incident, the (R)-configuration had a sedative effect, while the (S)-configuration caused severe teratogenicity; this incident prompted regulatory agencies in various countries to require that chiral drugs must have their stereochemical composition clearly defined and be marketed as a single enantiomer whenever possible.
50%UnverifiedThe R configuration of thalidomide has sedative and analgesic effects, while the S configuration is teratogenic.
50%UnverifiedThe thalidomide (Contergan) incident is a typical case of a chiral drug tragedy, as the left- and right-handed versions of many drugs have completely different biological activities.
50%UnverifiedThe two enantiomers of the same drug may bind to different receptors in the human body, leading to differences in efficacy or even toxic side effects, which is also an important reason for the thalidomide incident in the 1960s.
50%UnverifiedOne enantiomer of thalidomide has a sedative effect, while the other carries a risk of teratogenicity.
50%UnverifiedThe thalidomide tragedy occurred because the drug contained mirror-image isomers, causing a large number of newborns to be born with congenital defects.
50%UnverifiedThalidomide, sold as a racemate in the 1950s–60s, had one enantiomer with sedative and antiemetic effects while the other was strongly teratogenic, resulting in thousands of infants born with severe limb defects.
50%UnverifiedThe thalidomide incident directly prompted drug regulatory agencies worldwide to require that new drug applications must clearly specify the biological activity and toxicity of each enantiomer.
50%UnverifiedThe R-form enantiomer of thalidomide has an antiemetic effect, while the S-form enantiomer is strongly teratogenic, and the two forms also interconvert within the body.
50%UnverifiedIn the thalidomide incident of the 1960s, one enantiomer had sedative and antiemetic effects, while the other caused fetal malformations.
50%