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Drug class

January 01, 1970

This article is about pharmacological drug classification. For other uses, see Drug class (disambiguation).

A drug class is a group of medications and other compounds that have similar chemical structures, the same mechanism of action (i.e. binding to the same biological target), similar modes of action, and/or are used to treat the similar diseases.[1][2] The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has worked on classifying and licensing new medications for many years. However, the FDA's Drug Evaluation and Research Center categorizes these new medications based on both their chemical and therapeutic class.[3]

In several dominant drug classification systems, these four types of classifications form a hierarchy.[4] For example, the fibrates are a chemical class of drugs (amphipathic carboxylic acids) that share the same mechanism of action (PPAR agonist) and mode of action (reducing blood triglycerides), and that are used to prevent and treat the same disease (atherosclerosis). Conversely, not all PPAR agonists are fibrates, not all triglyceride lowering agents are PPAR agonists, and not all drugs used to treat atherosclerosis are triglyceride-lowering agents.

A drug class is typically defined by a prototype drug, the most important, and typically the first developed drug within the class, used as a reference for comparison.

Comprehensive systems edit

Chemical class edit

This type of categorisation of drugs is from a chemical perspective and categorises them by their chemical structure. Examples of drug classes that are based on chemical structures include:

Mechanism of action edit

This type of categorisation is from a pharmacological perspective and categorises them by their biological target. Drug classes that share a common molecular mechanism of action modulate the activity of a specific biological target.[6] The definition of a mechanism of action also includes the type of activity at that biological target. For receptors, these activities include agonist, antagonist, inverse agonist, or modulator. Enzyme target mechanisms include activator or inhibitor. Ion channel modulators include opener or blocker. The following are specific examples of drug classes whose definition is based on a specific mechanism of action:

Mode of action edit

This type of categorisation of drugs is from a biological perspective and categorises them by the anatomical or functional change they induce. Drug classes that are defined by common modes of action (i.e. the functional or anatomical change they induce) include:

Therapeutic class edit

This type of categorisation of drugs is from a medical perspective and categorises them by the pathology they are used to treat. Drug classes that are defined by their therapeutic use (the pathology they are intended to treat) include:

Amalgamated classes edit

Some drug classes have been amalgamated from these three principles to meet practical needs. The class of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is one such example. Strictly speaking, and also historically, the wider class of anti-inflammatory drugs also comprises steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These drugs were in fact the predominant anti-inflammatories during the decade leading up to the introduction of the term "nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs." Because of the disastrous reputation that the corticosteroids had got in the 1950s, the new term, which offered to signal that an anti-inflammatory drug was not a steroid, rapidly gained currency.[7] The drug class of "nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs" (NSAIDs) is thus composed by one element ("anti-inflammatory") that designates the mechanism of action, and one element ("nonsteroidal") that separates it from other drugs with that same mechanism of action. Similarly, one might argue that the class of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARD) is composed by one element ("disease-modifying") that albeit vaguely designates a mechanism of action, and one element ("anti-rheumatic drug") that indicates its therapeutic use.

Other systems of classification edit

Other systems of drug classification exist, for example the Biopharmaceutics Classification System which determines a drugs' attributes by solubility and intestinal permeability.

Legal classification edit

References edit

  1. ^ Mahoney A, Evans J (2008). "Comparing drug classification systems". AMIA Annual Symposium Proceedings: 1039. PMID 18999016.
  2. ^ World Health Organization (2003). (PDF). Geneva: World Health Organization. p. 33. ISBN 978-9241562348. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 5, 2010.
  3. ^ Michael D. Sanborn, Harold N. Godwin, James D. Pessetto, FDA drug classification system, American Journal of Hospital Pharmacy, Volume 48, Issue 12, 1 December 1991, Pages 2659–2662, https://doi.org/10.1093/ajhp/48.12.2659
  4. ^ Mahoney A, Evans J (November 2008). "Comparing drug classification systems". AMIA ... Annual Symposium Proceedings. AMIA Symposium: 1039. PMID 18999016.
  5. ^ "Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) Classification". World Health Organization. from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  6. ^ Imming P, Sinning C, Meyer A (Oct 2006). "Drugs, their targets and the nature and number of drug targets". Nature Reviews. Drug Discovery. 5 (10): 821–34. doi:10.1038/nrd2132. PMID 17016423. S2CID 8872470.
  7. ^ Buer JK (Oct 2014). "Origins and impact of the term 'NSAID'". Inflammopharmacology. 22 (5): 263–7. doi:10.1007/s10787-014-0211-2. hdl:10852/45403. PMID 25064056. S2CID 16777111.
  8. ^ Buer JK (Aug 2015). "A history of the term "DMARD"". Inflammopharmacology. 23 (4): 163–71. doi:10.1007/s10787-015-0232-5. PMC 4508364. PMID 26002695.

External links edit

  • "Drug Classes". Drugs.com.
  • "Drug names and classes". PubMed Health. United States National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2015-11-07.
  • "Information by Drug Class". Drug Safety and Availability. United States Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved 2015-11-07.

January 01, 1970
drug, class, this, article, about, pharmacological, drug, classification, other, uses, disambiguation, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, c. This article is about pharmacological drug classification For other uses see Drug class disambiguation This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Drug class news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2021 Learn how and when to remove this message A drug class is a group of medications and other compounds that have similar chemical structures the same mechanism of action i e binding to the same biological target similar modes of action and or are used to treat the similar diseases 1 2 The Food and Drug Administration FDA has worked on classifying and licensing new medications for many years However the FDA s Drug Evaluation and Research Center categorizes these new medications based on both their chemical and therapeutic class 3 In several dominant drug classification systems these four types of classifications form a hierarchy 4 For example the fibrates are a chemical class of drugs amphipathic carboxylic acids that share the same mechanism of action PPAR agonist and mode of action reducing blood triglycerides and that are used to prevent and treat the same disease atherosclerosis Conversely not all PPAR agonists are fibrates not all triglyceride lowering agents are PPAR agonists and not all drugs used to treat atherosclerosis are triglyceride lowering agents A drug class is typically defined by a prototype drug the most important and typically the first developed drug within the class used as a reference for comparison Contents 1 Comprehensive systems 2 Chemical class 3 Mechanism of action 4 Mode of action 5 Therapeutic class 6 Amalgamated classes 7 Other systems of classification 8 Legal classification 9 References 10 External linksComprehensive systems editAnatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System ATC Combines classification by organ system and therapeutic pharmacological and chemical properties into five levels 5 Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine SNOMED includes a section devoted to drug classificationChemical class editThis type of categorisation of drugs is from a chemical perspective and categorises them by their chemical structure Examples of drug classes that are based on chemical structures include Analgesic Benzodiazepine Cardiac glycoside Fibrate Steroid Thiazide diuretic Triptan b lactam antibioticMechanism of action editThis type of categorisation is from a pharmacological perspective and categorises them by their biological target Drug classes that share a common molecular mechanism of action modulate the activity of a specific biological target 6 The definition of a mechanism of action also includes the type of activity at that biological target For receptors these activities include agonist antagonist inverse agonist or modulator Enzyme target mechanisms include activator or inhibitor Ion channel modulators include opener or blocker The following are specific examples of drug classes whose definition is based on a specific mechanism of action 5 alpha reductase inhibitor ACE inhibitor Alpha adrenergic agonist Angiotensin II receptor antagonist Beta blocker Cholinergic Dopaminergic GABAergic Incretin mimetic Nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drug cyclooxygenase inhibitor Proton pump inhibitor Renin inhibitor Selective glucocorticoid receptor modulator Serotonergic Statin HMG CoA reductase inhibitorMode of action editThis type of categorisation of drugs is from a biological perspective and categorises them by the anatomical or functional change they induce Drug classes that are defined by common modes of action i e the functional or anatomical change they induce include Antifungals Antimicrobials Antithrombotics Bronchodilator Chronotrope positive or negative Decongestant Diuretic or Antidiuretic Inotrope positive or negative Therapeutic class editThis type of categorisation of drugs is from a medical perspective and categorises them by the pathology they are used to treat Drug classes that are defined by their therapeutic use the pathology they are intended to treat include Analgesics Antibiotic Anticancer Anticoagulant Antidepressant Antidiabetic Antiepileptic Antipsychotic Antispasmodic Antiviral Cardiovascular Depressant Sedative StimulantAmalgamated classes editSome drug classes have been amalgamated from these three principles to meet practical needs The class of nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drugs NSAIDs is one such example Strictly speaking and also historically the wider class of anti inflammatory drugs also comprises steroidal anti inflammatory drugs These drugs were in fact the predominant anti inflammatories during the decade leading up to the introduction of the term nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drugs Because of the disastrous reputation that the corticosteroids had got in the 1950s the new term which offered to signal that an anti inflammatory drug was not a steroid rapidly gained currency 7 The drug class of nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drugs NSAIDs is thus composed by one element anti inflammatory that designates the mechanism of action and one element nonsteroidal that separates it from other drugs with that same mechanism of action Similarly one might argue that the class of disease modifying anti rheumatic drugs DMARD is composed by one element disease modifying that albeit vaguely designates a mechanism of action and one element anti rheumatic drug that indicates its therapeutic use Disease modifying antirheumatic drug DMARD 8 Nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drug NSAID Other systems of classification editOther systems of drug classification exist for example the Biopharmaceutics Classification System which determines a drugs attributes by solubility and intestinal permeability Legal classification editFor the Canadian legal classification see Controlled Drugs and Substances Act For the UK legal classification see Drugs controlled by the UK Misuse of Drugs Act For the US legal classification see Controlled Substances Act Schedules of controlled substances Pregnancy category is defined using a variety of systems by different jurisdictionsReferences edit Mahoney A Evans J 2008 Comparing drug classification systems AMIA Annual Symposium Proceedings 1039 PMID 18999016 World Health Organization 2003 Introduction to drug utilization research PDF Geneva World Health Organization p 33 ISBN 978 9241562348 Archived from the original PDF on June 5 2010 Michael D Sanborn Harold N Godwin James D Pessetto FDA drug classification system American Journal of Hospital Pharmacy Volume 48 Issue 12 1 December 1991 Pages 2659 2662 https doi org 10 1093 ajhp 48 12 2659 Mahoney A Evans J November 2008 Comparing drug classification systems AMIA Annual Symposium Proceedings AMIA Symposium 1039 PMID 18999016 Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical ATC Classification World Health Organization Archived from the original on 4 June 2023 Retrieved 17 September 2023 Imming P Sinning C Meyer A Oct 2006 Drugs their targets and the nature and number of drug targets Nature Reviews Drug Discovery 5 10 821 34 doi 10 1038 nrd2132 PMID 17016423 S2CID 8872470 Buer JK Oct 2014 Origins and impact of the term NSAID Inflammopharmacology 22 5 263 7 doi 10 1007 s10787 014 0211 2 hdl 10852 45403 PMID 25064056 S2CID 16777111 Buer JK Aug 2015 A history of the term DMARD Inflammopharmacology 23 4 163 71 doi 10 1007 s10787 015 0232 5 PMC 4508364 PMID 26002695 External links edit Drug Classes Drugs com Drug names and classes PubMed Health United States National Library of Medicine Retrieved 2015 11 07 Information by Drug Class Drug Safety and Availability United States Food and Drug Administration Retrieved 2015 11 07 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Drug class amp oldid 1223560335, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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