Tag: Stereoisomers

In biochemistry, the word "ribose" describes a five-carbon sugar that exists as a pair of mirror-image isomers, or enantiomers. While the term is often used casually, understanding what's the difference between ribose and D-ribose is key, as only the D-form is biologically active and integral to critical cellular processes.

Despite being structurally similar, rauwolscine (alpha-yohimbine) and yohimbine are not the same molecule. They are actually stereoisomers, meaning they share the same chemical formula ($C_{21}H_{26}N_2O_3$) but possess a different three-dimensional arrangement that affects their potency and how they interact with the body's receptors.