Can you count the stars in the sky, impossible, a zillion out there!! Now a study into the patterns of chemical compounds reveals that the drugs that have been discovered are just one tenth of 1 percent of the ones that are sure to be discovered in future. As per the report the actual number of these so-called 'small molecules' could be 1 novemdecillion (that's 1 with 60 zeroes), 1 million billion billion billion billion billion billion, or simply a zillion more.

The report is the outcome of an expedition into the 'chemical space' by Jean-Louis Reymond and Mahendra Awale. The researchers say that small molecules, which are able to cross cell walls and interact with biological molecules in the body, are prime targets for scientists who develop new medicines. The study possibly reveals that computers play a vital role in the discovery. They have also identified million or more of such compounds which could be studied in detail for the best possible outcome.

The report published in the journal ACS Chemical Neuroscience states 'Small molecule drugs are essential to the success of modern medicine,' the authors noted, and suggested that their methods may be particularly useful for finding new pharmaceuticals that target the central nervous system. (With Inputs from Internet- Aarkay)