Levomoramide
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Levomoramide is the inactive isomer of the opioid analgesic dextromoramide, invented by the chemist Paul Janssen in 1956. Unlike dextromoramide, which is a potent analgesic with high abuse potential, levomoramide is virtually without activity.[1][2]
“Resolution reveals that the analgetic activity in this case resides almost entirely in the (+) isomer.”[3]
“In the α-CH3 series, one of the optical isomers of each enantiomorphic pair is about twice as active as the racemic mixture; the other isomer is devoid of significant analgesic activity.”[4]
However despite being inactive, levomoramide is controlled internationally as a Schedule I drug.
References
- ↑ Janssen PA. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 1956;78:3862.
- ↑ Janssen PA, Jagenau AM. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology 1957;9:381.
- ↑ Daniel Lednicer. Central Analgetics. (1982), p194. ISBN 0-471-08314-3
- ↑ Paul A J Janssen. Synthetic Analgesics Part 1: Diphenylpropylamines. Pergamon Press 1960. p143.
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