Classification of Drugs

GENERAL AND SYSTEMIC PHARMACOLOGY

(PHARM-301)
 Introduction
• Classification of drugs is essential because it allows several thousands of
drug substances to be reduced to a manageable number of groups about
which generalizations can be made. However, there is no uniform or
homogenous system of classifying drugs which suits all purposes.
• Drugs are generally classified according to the convenience of the person
discussing them viz.
• Chemist,
• Clinician,
• Pharmacist, etc.,
• Pharmacologist,
 Several Common Schemes for
Classifying Drugs
• Each drug can be classified into one or more drug classes.
1. Chemical Nature
2. Source
3. Target Organ/Site of Action
4. Mode of Action
5. Therapeutic Use
6. Physiological System
7. Physical Effect
 1. Chemical Nature
• Inorganic drugs • Organic drugs
• Metals and their salts • Alkaloids
• e.g. ferrous sulphate, magnesium • e.g. atropine, morphine, strychnine
sulphate and zinc sulphate. and cocaine.

• Non-metals • Glycosides
• e.g. sulphur; oxygen and hydrogen • e.g. digitoxin, digoxin and ouabain.
peroxide. • Peptides/Proteins
• e.g. insulin, oxytocin and vasopressin.
 1. Chemical Nature
• Organic drugs cont..
• Esters
• e.g, suxamethonium, procaine and acetylcholine.
• Amides
• e.g. lidocaine and procainamide.
• Alcohols
• e.g. ethyl alcohol
• Glycerides
• e.g. castor oil, linseed oil and olive oil.
 2. Source
• Natural source • Minerals and their salts
• Plant source • e.g. sodium chloride, ferrous sulphate
and copper sulphate.
• e.g. morphme, atropme, digitoxm and
physostigmine. • Synthetic source
• Animal source • e.g. halothane, Procaine and
• e:g. heparin, lanolin and equine chorionic sulphanilamide.
gonadotropin.
• Microbiological source • Biosynthetic source
• e.g. penicillin-G, streptomycin and • e.g. recombinant human erythropoietin
griseofulvin. and recombinant bovine somatotropin.
 3. Target Organ/Site of Action
• It is difficult to classify a drug on the basis of its target organ or system as it may
affect other systems also. The action on the primary site has been taken as a basis
of classification in the present scheme.
• Drugs acting on central nervous system. e.g. phenobarbital, diazepam and phenytoin.
• Drugs acting on Respiratory system. e.g. bromhexine, clenbuterol and ipratropium.
• Drugs acting on cardiovascular system. Heart (e.g. digitoxin, digoxin and milrinone) and
Blood vessels (e.g. hydralazine; nifedipine and nitroprusside).
• Drugs acting on gastrointestinal tract. Stomach (e.g. omeprazole, pentagastrin and
cimetidine) and Intestine (e.g. sulphasa!azine, carboxymethylcellulose and phenolphthalein.)
 4. Mode of Action
• Calcium channel blockers
• e.g. verapamil, diltiazem and
nifedipine.
• Anticholinesterase agents
• e.g. neostigmine and physostigmine.
• Histamine receptor antagonists
• e.g. diphenhydramine, pheniramine
and cetirizine.
• Inhibitors of bacterial wall
synthesis
• e.g. penicillins, cephalosporins and
bacitracin.
 5. Therapeutic Use
• Antimicrobials • Anticonvulsants
• e.g. penicillins, cephalosporins, • e.g. phenytoin, valproic acid and
chloramphenicol and sulphonamides. carbamazepine.
• Antihypertensives • Antiemetics
• e.g. clonidine, hydralazine and enalapril.
• e.g. domperidone, ondansetron,
• Antidiarrhoeals meclozine and metoclopramide.
• e.g. loperamide, kaolin and
diphenoxylate.
 6. Physiological System
• Sympathomimetics
• e.g. epinephrine, norepinephrine and
isoprenaline.
• Parasympathomimetics
• e.g. carbachol, pilocarpine and
neostigmine.
• Neuromuscular blockers
• e.g. suxamethonium, gallamine and
d-tubocurarine .
• Anticoagulants
• e.g. heparin and warfarin.
 7. Physical Effect
• Emollients • Adsorbents
• e.g. lanolin, petroleum jelly and bees wax. • e.g. activated charcoal and
• Counterirritants magnesium trisilicate.
• e.g. methyl salicylate, menthol and • Protectives
cantharidin.
• e.g. starch, calamine and talc.
• Caustics
• e.g. silver nitrate and antimony • Surfactants
trichloride. • e.g. dimethicone and turpentine oil.
THANKS