ENANTIOSELECTIVE BEHAVIOR OF DRUGS USED IN DOMESTIC-ANIMALS - A REVIEW

The chirality of drugs, with particular reference to agents used in ve terinary medicine, is reviewed, Basic concepts of chirality and aspect s of the methodology for the separation of enantiomers are considered, Chiral compounds are in common use in animals and their pharmacologic al actions and side-effects (pharmacodynamics) and absorption into and fate within the body (pharmacokinetics) are of fundamental importance ; pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties of enantiomeric pairs commonly differ and this has major implications for their effective a nd safe therapeutic use, As examples of the particular significance of chirality in veterinary medicine, the following drug classes are revi ewed; benzimidazole anthelmintics, cloprostenol, verapamil, ketamine, halogenated hydrocarbon anaesthetics and 2-arylpropionic acid anti-inf lammatory drugs, The implications of chirality for drug product develo pment and approval by registration authorities are discussed.