title: Beyond C, H, O, and N! Analysis of the elemental composition of U.S. FDA approved drug architectures.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 1306 E. University Boulevard, University of Arizona , Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States.
authors.forename: Brandon R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Candice M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Eastman
authors.forename: Jon T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Njardarson
mesh_terms: D002713:Chlorine / Q000737:chemistry*; D017277:Drug Approval; D005461:Fluorine / Q000737:chemistry; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000032:analysis*; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000737:chemistry; D013455:Sulfur / Q000737:chemistry; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D010758:Phosphorus; D005461:Fluorine; D002713:Chlorine; D013455:Sulfur