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Why chemically did the prescribing of thalidomide for morning sickness in pregnant women lead to tragic consequences, including teratogenic effects?

User Sam Murphy
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Answer:

See explanation

Step-by-step explanation:

The drug thalidomide with molecular formula C13H10N2O4 was widely prescribed by doctors for morning sickness in pregnant women in the 1960s.

The drug was sold as a racemic mixture (+)(R)-thalidomide and (-)(S)-thalidomide.

Unfortunately, only the (+)(R)-thalidomide exhibited the required effect while (-)(S)-thalidomide is a teratogen.

This goes a long way to underscore the importance of separation of enantiomers in drug production.

Therefore, all the teratogenic effects observed when using the drug thalidomide was actually as a result of the presence of (-)(S)-thalidomide, the unwanted enantiomer.

User Jenniece
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