Stable heavy isotopes of hydrogen, carbon, and other elements have been incorporated into drug molecules, largely as tracers for quantitation during the drug development process. Deuteration has gained attention because of its potential to affect the pharmacokinetic and metabolic profiles of drugs[1].
References:
[1]. Russak EM, et al. Impact of Deuterium Substitution on the Pharmacokinetics of Pharmaceuticals. Ann Pharmacother. 2019;53(2):211-216.
[2]. Ethambutol. Tuberculosis (Edinb), 2008. 88(2): p. 102-5.
[3]. Rastogi, N., V. Labrousse, and K.S. Goh, In vitro activities of fourteen antimicrobial agents against drug susceptible and resistant clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and comparative intracellular activities against the virulent H37Rv strain in human macrophages. Curr Microbiol, 1996. 33(3): p. 167-75.
[4]. Kaur, D. and G.K. Khuller, In vitro, ex-vivo and in vivo activities of ethambutol and sparfloxacin alone and in combination against mycobacteria. Int J Antimicrob Agents, 2001. 17(1): p. 51-5.