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dextro

Dextro is a combining form derived from the Latin dexter, meaning right or favorable. In scientific use, dextro- indicates a right-handed orientation or a dextrorotatory form of a molecule or enantiomer, in contrast to levo- for left-handed. The terms are used across chemistry, medicine, and biology to denote the direction of rotation of plane-polarized light or the stereochemical configuration of compounds.

In chemistry and biochemistry, dextro- is used to name enantiomers that rotate plane-polarized light to the

In pharmacology, the dextro enantiomer of a chiral drug can have distinct pharmacological properties from its

In medicine and anatomy, the prefix appears in terms such as dextrocardia, a condition in which the

Overall, dextro denotes right-handedness or rightward rotation in various scientific contexts and is contrasted with levo-

right.
The
related
notations
d-
or
(+)
indicate
dextrorotation,
while
l-
or
(−)
indicate
levorotation.
A
classic
example
is
dextrose,
the
dextro
form
of
glucose,
often
referred
to
as
D-glucose.
mirror
image.
For
example,
the
dextro
form
of
certain
stimulants
may
be
more
potent
or
have
different
effects
than
the
levo
form.
heart
is
located
on
the
right
side
of
the
chest.
In
physics
and
optics,
dextrorotation
refers
to
the
rotation
of
polarized
light
to
the
right.
for
left-handedness.