(S)-warfarin

(S)-Warfarin is the S-enantiomer of warfarin, a vitamin K antagonist used as an anticoagulant medication. It is the more potent enantiomer in the racemic warfarin mixture, being 2.7 to 3.8 times more potent than the R-enantiomer. (S)-Warfarin works by inhibiting vitamin K epoxide reductase, preventing the recycling of vitamin K and thus interfering with the synthesis of vitamin K-dependent clotting factors (II, VII, IX, and X) and regulatory proteins C and S. This S-enantiomer is primarily metabolized by the CYP2C9 enzyme in the liver, making drug interactions affecting this pathway particularly significant.

Other names

S-warfarin