Quantum Drugs (Q-Drugs): A New Discovery and Taboo Breaking Approach; Producing Carbon Quantum Dots from Drug Molecules

Background/Objectives: Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are carbon-based structures with particle sizes ranging from 1 to 10 nm. They can be prepared using various carbon sources, including those doped with heteroatoms. CQDs exhibit unique optoelectronic properties, high photostability, low toxicity, and exceptional biocompatibility. It was aimed to produce CQDs from active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). Methods: This study introduces a novel class of CQDs synthesized directly from APIs, which we term “Quantum Drugs” (Q-Drugs). We present several APIs alongside detailed methods for Q-Drug synthesis and characterization. We describe the necessary structural properties for forming Q-Drugs and provide the values for particle size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential that were obtained from various drug molecules. Results: The particle sizes were determined with the size of 7.360 ± 0.030 nm and 10.000 ± 0.022 nm; polydispersity indexes of 10.500 ± 1.230 and 32.610 ± 1.401; and zeta potentials of −3.400 ± 0.054 mV and −40.000 ± 0.142 mV, respectively using different APIs. Conclusions: This study successfully demonstrated the synthesis and characterization of Q-Drugs, a novel class of CQD derived from APIs. The results provide valuable data on the physicochemical properties of these Q-Drugs, paving the way for further investigation into their potential applications.