Small molecule drugs

Small molecule drugs are organic compounds with a low molecular weight (commonly ≤ 900–1000 Daltons) and are the most prevalent class of drugs in medicine. They can be chemically synthesized or derived from natural sources and are typically able to diffuse across cell membranes, allowing them to reach intracellular targets. Small molecule drugs function by binding to specific biological macromolecules (such as receptors, enzymes, ion channels, or other proteins) to modulate their activity, and are used to treat a wide variety of diseases. This class of drugs includes antibiotics, analgesics, statins, and antihistamines, among many others. "Small molecule drugs" is a category of drugs, not a specific single molecule or therapeutic target[1][2][3][4][6][7].

Other names

Small moleculesMicromoleculesLow-molecular-weight drugsChemical drugs