Volume of Distribution in Drug Design

Volume of distribution is one of the most important pharmacokinetic properties of a drug candidate. It is a major determinant of half-life and dosing frequency of a drug. For a similar log P, a basic molecule will tend to exhibit higher volume of distribution than a neutral molecule. Acids often exhibit low volumes of distribution. Although a design strategy against volume of distribution can be advantageous in achieving desirable dosing regimen, it must be well-directed in order to avoid detrimental effects to other important properties. Strategies to increase volume of distribution include adding lipophilicity and introducing basic functional groups in a way that does not increase metabolic clearance.