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a racemic mixture has 50-50% of the 2 different enantiomers. There are racemate drugs out there in the world. The misunderstanding I have is that usually 1 out of the 2 enantiomers molecules have a different reaction with the body, so if you perform racemisation to form a racemic mixture, ain’t that drug going to be still harmful in your body ? Or does FDA not accept racemic mixture where 1 of the enantiomers in it are harmful to the body? Thus they only accept racemic mixture where both enantiomers have to perform the same therapeutic effect on the body ?

user307640
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  • https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/105/what-are-known-examples-of-drugs-that-racemize-stereoconvert-in-vivo-and-how-ar – Mithoron Nov 05 '19 at 19:04
  • The 'wrong' enantiomer is far more often inactive than actually harmful. FDA does not usually approve racemic mixtures unless the compound racemises under physiological conditions. – Waylander Nov 05 '19 at 19:12
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    Thalidomide is one classic example which is an approved medicine. It racemizes in the body and one of the enantiomers damaged a lot of babies in pregnant mothers. It is called thalidomide tragedy. – AChem Nov 06 '19 at 00:46

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