Tomoxetine and the stereoselectivity of drug action

The phenoxypropylamine derivative tomoxetine has been shown to inhibit noradrenaline (NA) uptake into synaptosomes from rat hypothalamus (Wong et al 1982). Differences in the potencies of the resolved optical isomers, (-)-tomoxetine (I) and (+)-tomoxetine were also noted, the (-)-isomer being more potent than the racemate or the (+)-isomer in-vitro and in-vivo.