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Updated: Mar 16, 2026

An Integrated Raman Spectroscopy and Mass Spectrometry Platform to Study Single-Cell Drug Uptake, Metabolism, and Effects
Published on: January 9, 2020
The effect of enantiomers of thalidomide on colon cells-Raman spectroscopy studies
Monika Kopec1, Agnieszka Krzeminska2, Jakub Surmacki1
1Lodz University of Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of Applied Radiation Chemistry, Laboratory of Laser Molecular Spectroscopy, Wroblewskiego 15, 93-590 Lodz, Poland.
Abstract:
Enantiomers are molecules that have the same molecular formula but the atoms are linked differently. Differentiation between enantiomers is highly significant in scientific research, particularly in pharmaceuticals. This research demonstrates how conventional Raman spectroscopy and statistical methods can be applied to the analysis of enantiomers. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that Raman spectroscopy reveals distinct spectral differences between the enantiomers of thalidomide. Density Functional Theory (DFT) computations support this observation and offer detailed insight into the underlying vibrational landscape. By decomposing the observed peaks into individual vibrational modes, they help clarify the specific contributions to the experimental spectra and provide a rationale for the intensity differences between R- and S-thalidomide. Furthermore, we studied the biochemical changes of Caco-2 human colon cells caused by incubation with enantiomers of thalidomide. In summary, we found that Raman spectroscopic analysis is sensitive to identifying the enantio-discrimination of thalidomide. The approach presented in this study opens new possibilities to monitor the role of thalidomide in medicine.
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