CLASSIFICATION OF DRUGS

REGULATION OF MEDICINES
NAMING OF DRUGS.
1
E. A. OGBOLE, OTSE ANNE
BINGHAM UNIVERSITY,JOS CAMPUS
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Definition.

• A very broad definition of a drug would include all chemicals other than
food that affect living processes.

• Chemotherapeutic agents – used to cure infectious diseases and

cancer.(antibiotics ,etc)

• If the effect helps the body, the drug is a medicine, if a drug causes
harmful effects on the body, the drug is a poison.

• A drug can also be defined as medicinal agents used for

diagnoses,prevention,treatment of symptoms and cure of diseases.
• Contraceptives would be outside of this definition unless pregnancy were
considered a disease.
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Drug classification.

Drugs can be classified according to various criteria :

 Chemical structure

 pharmacological action.

 Pharmacodynamic agents – used in non-infectious

diseases(cholinergic, adrenergic, hallucinogenic, )
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 Sites of drug action.

 Enzyme inhibition.
 Drugs act within the cell by modifying normal biochemical reactions.
 Enzyme inhibition may be reversible or non reversible, competitive or non-
competitive.
 Drug-receptor interaction
 Drugs act on the cell membrane by physical and/or chemical interactions.
 This is usually through specific drug receptor sites known to be located
on the membrane.
 A receptor is the specific chemical constituents of the cell with which a
drug interacts to produce its pharmacological effects.
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 Non-specific interactions.
• Drugs act exclusively by physical means outside of cells.
• These sites include external surfaces of the skin and gastrointestinal tract.

• Drugs also act outside of cell membranes by chemical interactions.

• Neutralization of stomach acid by antacids is a good example.

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CHEMICAL STRUCTURE
• Nitroimidazole : Treat Bacterial Vaginosis, Amebiasis,....
 Metronidazole (FLAGYL), Secnidazole (SOLOSEC), Tinidazole (TINDAMAX), Ornidazole.

• 4 – aminoquinolines : treat or prevent malaria.

 Chloroquine (ARALEN), amodiaquine (CAMOQUIN), Quinine (QUALAQUIN), Piperaquine
(EURARTESIM), Mefloquine (LARIAM).

• 8 – aminoquinolines : : treat malaria and prevents it from coming back after treatment
(relapse).
 Primaquine (PRIMAQUINE PHOSPHATE)

• Quinolones : treatment of bacterial infections

 Nalidixic acid (NEgGRAM; treat urinary tract infections) , Ciprofloxacin (CETRAXAL),
Ofloxacin (OCUFLOX), Levofloxacin (LEVAQUIN).
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• Sesquiterpenes
 Artemether (COARTEM; treatment of malaria) , Artesunate (CAMOQUIN;
treatment of severe malaria) , Arteether (LEETHER; treatment of severe malaria) ,
Dihydroartemisinin (EURARTESIM; treatment of malaria).

• Sulphonamides/ Sulfa drugs:

 Cotrimoxazole (SEPTRIN; treatment of bacterial infections), Pyrimethamine
(DAPAPRIM; treatment of toxoplasmosis and malaria), Glucophage
(METFORMIN; Treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus).

• Penicillines : treat bacterial infections

 Ampicillin (OMNIPEN), Cloxacillin (CLOXAPEN), Cephalexin (KEFLEX),
Ceftriaxone (ROCEPHIN ), Ceftazidime (FORTAZ), Cefotaxime (CLAFORAN).

• Amino glycosides : treat bacterial infections

 Gentamycin (GARAMYCIN), Kanamycin (KANTREX), Streptomycin, Neomycin
(CORTISPORIN).
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• Macrolides : treat bacterial infections like pneumonia, sinusitis, pharyngitis,
and tonsillitis.
 Erythromycine (ERYTHROCIN), Clarithromycin (BIAXIN), Azithromycine (AZASITE).

• Salicylates : treat pain, fever, and inflammation.

 Aspirin (ASPI-COR), Mefenamic acid (PONSTEL), Ibuprofen (ADVIL), Piroxicam
(FELDENE).

• Opiates : treat pain or cause sleep

 Pentazocine (TALWIN), Morphine (KADIAN), Codeine (ASCOMP), Pethidine (DEMEROL).

• Benzodiazepine: Treat anxiety and insomnia.

 Lorazepam (ATIVAN), Diazepam (VALIUM), Midazolam (VERSED), Nitazepam
(MOGADON), Bromazepam (LECTOPAM).
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Pharmacological action
 Alimentary system

• Antacids : relieve heartburn and indigestion.

 Sodium Bicarbonate (ALKA-SELTZER), Magnesium hydroxide (ALMACONE), Aluminium hydroxide
(AMPHOJEL).
 H 2 - inhibitors : treatment of duodenal and gastric ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease and heartburn -
Cimetidine (TAGAMET) , Ranitidine (ZANTAC), Nizatidine (AXID), Famotidine (PEPCID).
 PPIs : Treatment of duodenal and gastric ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease - Omeprazole (PRILOSEC),
Lanzoprazole (PREVACID), Rabiprazole (ACIPHEX).

• Gastro intestinal sedatives

 Hyoscine (BUSCOPAN; treatment of abdominal pain associated with cramps induced by
gastrointestinal (GI) spasms), Atropine (ATROPEN; reduces activity of the GI tract) ,
Scopolamine (TRANSDERM SCOP; treatment of nausea and vomiting associated with motion
sickness and postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), Domperidone (MOTILIUM;
treatment of :nausea and vomiting).
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• Laxatives and Purgatives : : treat constipation
 Bisacodyl (DULCOLAX), Docusates (COLACE), Lactulose
(CONSTULOSE), Senna (SENOKOT).

• Anthelmintics : treat infections concerning parasitic worms

 Albendazole (ALBENZA), Mebendazole (VERMOX), Levamisole (ERGAMISOL),
Bephenium hydroxynaphthoate (ALCOPARA), Pyrantel pamoate (ASCAREL)

• Antidiarrhoeals : treat diarrhea

 Hyoscine (BUSCOSPAN), Loperamide (DIAMODE), Diphenoxylate HCL
(LOMOTIL).
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• Drugs acting on the cardiovascular system

• Cardiac reactants : : treat atrial fibrillation

 Digoxin (DIGOX), Propranolol (HEMANGEOL), Amiodarone
(PACERONE), Atenolol (TENORMIN).

• Reactants on vascular system

• Antihypertensives
• Calcium channel blockers : treat hypertension and angina.
 Nifedipine (ADALAT), Amlodipine (NORVASC), Felodipine (PLENDIL),
Diltiazem (CARDIAZEM), Verapamil (CALAN).
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• B – Blockers : treat hypertension, angina, atrial fibrillation.
 Propranolol (HEMAGEOL), Atenolol (TENORMIN), Labetalol
(TRANDATE), Timolol (BLOCADREN).
• Vasodilators : medications that open (dilate) blood vessels.
 Methyldopa (ALDOMET), Hydrallazine (APRESOLINE).
• Anticoagulants : medicines that help slow down your body's
process of making clots.
 Warfarin (COUMADIN), Heparin (HEP-PAK)
• Antiplatelet : prevent platelets from clumping together to form a
clot.
 Aspirin (ASPI-COR), Clopidogrel (PLAVIX)
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 Drugs affecting the CNS
• Analgesics/Antipyretics : treat pain, fever, inflammation.
 Paracetamol (PANADOL), Aspirin (ASPI-COR),
Dipyrone(METAMIZOLE).

 NSAIDS
 Ibuprofen (ADVIL), Piroxicam (FELDENE), Tramadol (CONZIP),
Diclofenac (CAMBIA)

 Opiate analgesics
 Pentazocine (TALWIN), Morphine (KADIAN), Pethilophan, Petidine
(DEMEROL).
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• Hypnotics
 Phenobarbitone (LUMINAL; treat or prevent seizures),
Flunitrazepam (ROHYPNOL; anxiety disorders and insomnia).
• Sedatives/Tranquilizers( anxiolytics) : treat panic disorders,
severe anxiety and seizures.
 Diazepam (VALIUM), Nitrazepam (MOGADON), Triazolam
(HALCION), Bromazepam (LEXOTAN)
• Antipsychotics : treat schizophrenia and generalized anxiety
disorder.
 Thioridazine (MELLARIL), Chlorpromazine (THORAZINE),
Fluphenazine (MODECATE).
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• Anticonvulsants : used in control of seizures.
 Phenytoin sodium (DILANTIN), Sodium valproate (DEPAKENE),
Clonazepam (KLONOPIN).
• Muscle relaxants : treat muscle-related symptoms, like spasticity and
spasms
 Methocarbamol (ROBAXIN), Orphenadrine (NORFLEX), Suxamethonium
(ANECTINE).
• Antihistamines : treat runny nose, sneezing, itching, and watery eyes
 Chlorpheniramine (ALLER-CHLOR), Prometazine (PHENERGAN),
Loratadine (ALAVERT), Mepyramine (HISTADYL), Astemizole
(HISMANAL), Diphenhydramine (BENADRYL).
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• Antidepressants : treat or prevent clinical
depression.
 Imipramine (TOFRANIL), Amitriptyline (ELAVIL),
Clomipramine (ANAFRANIL).
• Corticosteroids: reduce inflammation
 Prednisolone (MILLIPRED), Dexamethasone
(BAYCADRON), Betamethasone (CELESTONE).
• Antibiotics: treat certain bacterial infections such
as strep throat, urinary tract infections, and E.
coli.
 Ampicillin (UNASYN), Amoxycillin (AMOXIL),
Doxycycline (ACTICLATE), Erythromycin
(AKTIPAK).
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• DIURETICS : manage edema, heart failure, and hypertension.
 Furosemide (LASIX), Amiloride (MIDAMOR),Hydrochlorothiazide
(MICROZIDE), Spironolactone (ALDACTONE).
• Antivirals : medication used specifically for treating viral
infections.
 Acyclovir (SITAVIG), Lamivudine (EPIVIR), Ganciclovir
(CYTOVENE).
• Antiretrovirals : treatment of HIV infection.
• Zidovudine (RETROVIR), Nevirapine (VIRAMUNE), Stavudine
(ZERIT) etc.
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The Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System.

• ATC/DDD.

Definition
• The ATC/DDD system classifies therapeutic drugs.

Purpose
• The purpose of the ATC system is to serve as a tool for drug utilization research in order to
improve quality of drug use.

Classification Structure .

• In the ATC classification system, the drugs are divided into different groups according to –

 The organ or system on which they act

 Their chemical, pharmacological and therapeutic properties.

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• In this system, drugs are classified into groups at different levels.
First level.
• This first level of the code indicates the anatomical main group and consists
of one letter. These are 14 main groups.

code
A Alimentary tract $ metabolism
B Blood $blood forming organs
C Cardiovascular system
D dermatologicals
G genito-urinary sys. $ sex hormones
H Systemic hormonal preps excluding sex hormones $insulin

J Anti-infectives for systemic use.

L Antineoplastic $ immunomodulatory agent.
M Musculo-skeletal system
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Second level.
• The second level of the code indicates the therapeutic main group and consists
of two digits.
• Example : CO3 diuretics.

Third level
• The third level of the code indicates the therapeutic/pharmacological subgroup
and consists of one letter.
• Example : CO3C high ceiling diuretics.

Fourth level
The fourth level of the code indicates the chemical/therapeutic/pharmacological
subgroup and consists of one letter.
Example : CO3CA sulphonamides.
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Fifth level.
• The fifth level of the code indicates the chemical substance and consists of
two digits.
• Example : CO3CA01 furosemide.
The DDD.
• Defined Daily Dose is the assumed average maintenance dose per day for a
drug used for its main indication in adults.
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Drug names.

Chemical names.
• The chemical name is assigned according to rules of nomenclature of chemical
compounds.

Brand or trade name.

• The brand name is always capitalized and is selected by the manufacturer.

The generic name.

• The generic name refers to a common established name irrespective of its
manufacturer.

• In most cases a drug bearing a generic name is equivalent to the same drug with a
brand name.

• This equivalency is not always true.

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• Drugs are chemically equivalent, different manufacturing processes may
cause difference in pharmacological actions.

• Several differences may be crystal size or form,isomers,crystal hydration,

purity(type and number of impurities),
vehicles,binders,coatings,dissolution rate and storage stability.
 REGULATION OF MEDICINES. 24.

NAFDAC.
• The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control was
established as a parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Health by decree No.
15 of 1993.

• It has the mandate to regulate medicine products intended for use in the
diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of diseases.

• Operators of all indigenous and non-indigenous drug establishments that

engage in the manufacture , preparation, propagation, compounding or
processing of drugs are required to register and submit a list of every drug in
commercial distribution.
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• Electronic drug registration and listing system (eDRLS).

• Pharmacovigilance.