Resources
Active ingredients
History, properties and pharmaceutical use of the active ingredients (APIs) we source for the pharmaceutical industry.
3 min read
Acebutolol: A Cardioselective Beta-Blocker with Intrinsic Sympathomimetic Activity
Among beta-blockers, acebutolol stands out for a subtle pharmacological trait: it slows the heart down without shutting it down at rest. This nuance, known as intrinsic sympathomimetic activity, has made it a go-to active ingredient for hypertension, rhythm disorders, and angina. Here is a closer look at its origin, structure, and mode of action.
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4 min read
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C): From the Discovery of Scurvy to Modern Pharmaceutical Use
From the scurvy that once devastated the crews of major maritime expeditions to today's effervescent tablets, ascorbic acid — vitamin C — sums up a century of pharmaceutical research on its own. Here is the story behind its discovery, its properties, and the many ways it is used in modern pharmacy.
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3 min read
Bisoprolol: A Reference Cardioselective Beta-Blocker
Taken once daily by millions of patients worldwide, bisoprolol is one of the most widely prescribed beta-blockers in cardiology. Here's a closer look at this cardioselective molecule, from its discovery to its mechanism of action.
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3 min read
Bromazepam
Marketed under names such as Lexomil® and Lexotanil®, bromazepam is one of the best-known anxiolytic benzodiazepines since its launch in the early 1970s. Here is a look at its history, chemical structure, and mechanism of action — a molecule whose therapeutic use remains tightly regulated.
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4 min read
Ciprofloxacin
Born from a chance byproduct discovered in the 1960s, ciprofloxacin went on to become one of the most widely prescribed fluoroquinolones in the world. Here is a look at the history, mechanism of action, and pharmaceutical uses of this broad-spectrum antibiotic, now used with greater caution than in the past.
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3 min read
Leflunomide: the prodrug behind rheumatoid arthritis treatment
Behind a single tablet lies a two-step chemistry: an inactive molecule is swallowed, and an active metabolite is released inside the body. That is the principle behind leflunomide, a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug that has become a reference treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.
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3 min read
Olanzapine: History, Properties, and Therapeutic Use
Since its approval in 1996, olanzapine has become one of the most widely prescribed antipsychotics worldwide. Designed in the wake of clozapine, it offered a sought-after alternative to classic antipsychotics. Here is a closer look at the origin, chemical structure, and mode of action of this reference molecule in psychiatry.
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3 min read
Paracetamol: History, Properties, and Pharmaceutical Use
It's the most widely used pain reliever on the planet and a WHO essential medicine, yet paracetamol spent decades written off before an unexpected, and rather late, scientific comeback.
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