The Application of Deuteration Strategy in Drug Design

Deuterated drugs, which are derived from the subtle exchange of a protium atom with a deuterium atom in drug molecules, exhibit significant differences in pharmaceutical characteristics compared to their parent drugs. With the advantages of improving pharmacokinetic properties, reducing toxicity, inhibiting the interconversion between chiral drugs and restricting drug interactions, deuterated drugs have attracted widespread attention from medicinal chemists. This review highlights the application of deuteration strategies in drug design, summarizing the progress of all deuterated drugs available in the market or still under investigation to provide a reference for all researchers engaged deuterated drug development.