I'm afraid it can. I've been doing a little digging.A similar thing happens with ibuprofen.
The non-active isomer gets converted (by an enzyme) to the active one (not the other way around, fortunately - otherwise it would be useless).
In the case of thalidomide, both isomers are active : one isomer suppresses morning sickness, the other causes birth defects.
Unfortunately, the beneficial isomer can be converted in your body to the harmful one, although I'm not sure if the conversion can go the other way.
(The non-active isomer gets converted (by an enzyme) to the active one (not the other way around, fortunately - otherwise it would be useless).
In the case of thalidomide, both isomers are active : one isomer suppresses morning sickness, the other causes birth defects.
Unfortunately, the beneficial isomer can be converted in your body to the harmful one, although I'm not sure if the conversion can go the other way.
finnbar has officially retired,
Wed 30 Sep 2009, 23:20,
archived)