Beyond C, H, O, and N! Analysis
of the Elemental Composition
of U.S. FDA Approved Drug Architectures
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Abstract
The
diversity of elements among U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) approved pharmaceuticals is analyzed and reported, with a focus
on atoms other than carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. Our analysis
reveals that sulfur, chlorine, fluorine, and phosphorous represent
about 90% of elemental substitutions, with sulfur being the fifth
most used element followed closely by chlorine, then fluorine and
finally phosphorous in the eighth place. The remaining 10% of substitutions
are represented by 16 other elements of which bromine, iodine, and
iron occur most frequently. The most detailed parts of our analysis
are focused on chlorinated drugs as a function of approval date, disease
condition, chlorine attachment, and structure. To better aid our chlorine
drug analyses, a new poster showcasing the structures of chlorinated
pharmaceuticals was created specifically for this study. Phosphorus,
bromine, and iodine containing drugs are analyzed closely as well,
followed by a discussion about other elements