5mo ago

If a drug/chemical name starts with a "D-" or "L-" how is it supposed to be pronounced?

L-methylfolate for example.

Are you supposed to pronounce it as dextro/levo or as a letter?

3 comments

I never heard a pharmacist say anything other than "dee" or "ell" before saying the rest of the name (over the counter to a customer that is)
- Some drugs even spell it out for you, like esomeprazole, which is the S enantiomer of omeprazole.
  
  Some drugs also opt for the full prefix, like dextromethorphan or levothyroxine.