The therapeutic promise of single enantiomers: introduction.

This review uses several examples drawn from the literature to show how using active enantiomers as therapeutic agents may yield several benefits, including more predictable pharmacokinetics, more accurate drug monitoring and enhanced tolerability. As a result of these benefits, the therapeutic use of single enantiomers will become increasingly important not only in psychopharmacology, but in medicine generally. Indeed, over the early years of the new millennium, the therapeutic use of single active enantiomers is set to redefine the benefit-risk ratio in the management of many common conditions. Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.