Stability Versus Reactivity - How Stable Is Reactive Enough

5 Stability Versus Reactivity - How Stable Is Reactive Enough 

The conventional wisdom assumes that a pharmaceutical needs to be stable to be commercially successful. A more general look shows that the paradigm of the stability of APIs and pharmaceutical excipients as an indispensable property for their application is questionable. There are many examples (see Table 9.2 [46] and examples given above) demonstrating that good performance of a pharmaceutical within its field of application is not necessarily a contradiction to good degradability in the environment. 

Bioactive chemicals such as pesticides, disinfectants, and pharmaceuticals must have certain reactivity within their range of application. They exert their reactivity within a special environment, such as within the human body, where they are activated in a specific manner. It should also be noted that some pharmaceuticals are applied as prodrugs. Before they can exert their desired effects, prodrugs are activated in the human body. Any effect, wanted or unwanted, is based on interaction of APIs with other molecules, for example, receptors or enzymes. They display their reactivity within a specific environment, such as within the human body, where they are activated in a specific manner. In summary, fully stable chemicals and pharmaceuticals would not be of any use in most cases, because they would not undergo any interaction or reaction with the environment, which is often required for their application. We normally speak of the stability of a chemical without mentioning the context of its environment. We assume that the stability of a chemical is an intrinsic 

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