Classification of Drugs

Introduction

Drugs are chemical compounds that are used to treat various ailments. The classification of drugs is the way to organise medicines into different categories based on their use, structure, and mechanism of action. Despite the chemical similarities these are classified based on their impact on the body. Some drugs are sold without a prescription and some only after a prescription.

The drugs are classified on two main bases pharmacologically and therapeutically. The pharmacological classification is based on chemical similarities and has the same effect on the treatment of diseases. Examples are alcohol, opioids, cannabinoids, barbiturates, etc. The therapeutic classification of drugs is based on their chemical characteristics, and structure. Examples are analgesics, anaesthetics, antibacterial, antidepressants, antifungal drugs, etc.

What are Drugs?

Drugs are any chemical substances that are used to cure diseases and ailments caused by organisms like bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc. It affects the functioning of living things or organisms by its mechanism, chemical, or physical properties. Drugs can be anything that prevents our body from the effects of diseases. Drugs are both harmful and useful to our body, so these are classified based on their chemical structure, the mechanism in the body, and their uses.

Factors Used to Classify Drugs

There is no single and unified classification of drugs but based on the context the drugs are classified based on four main factors, pharmacological and therapeutic classification, i.e., chemical composition, mechanism of action, and molecular basis.

Factors	Drugs
Based Chemical structure	Steroids, Barbiturates, Benzodiazepines, Glycosides.
Pharmacological effects	Anaesthetic, Analgesic, Sedative, Bacteriostatic, Purgative, Diuretic, etc.
Molecular Target	These have a similar structure and similar target molecules in the body like protein, carbohydrates, etc.
Diagnostic Uses	radio-opaque dyes.
Physiological Effects −	Neuromuscular Blocker, Parasympathomimetic, b-blocker, etc.
Placebo	These drugs are prescribed to patients with psychological issues.
Prophylactic Drugs	These are given to patients to prevent diseases going occur or prevent something from happening in the future. Examples are birth control drugs, drugs used in surgeries, dental cleaning, etc.
Poisons	Every drug is poisonous. It’s the dose of the drug that decides if the drug is going to harm or treat your body.

Classify Drugs Based on the effects of the drug on the body

The drugs are classified based on various factors. one of the factors is based on the effect on the body these are classified as CNS depressants, Stimulants, Anaesthetics, Hallucinogens, Analgesics, Cannabis, and Inhalants.

• Stimulants − The central nervous system stimulant is given to accelerate heart rate, increase blood pressure, and speed up stimulants in the body. Examples are Amphetamines, Cocaine, and Methamphetamine.

• Depressants − Depressants are used to slow down the working of the central nervous system. Examples are Tranquilizers, Barbiturates, Alcohol, Gamma hydroxybutyrate, and anti-depressant.

• Anaesthetics − Anaesthetics are used to inhibit the pain generated in the body due to any causes by cutting the brain’s connections to pain. Examples are Dextromethoraphan, Ketamine, propofol, etc.

• Hallucinogens − Hallucinogens alter the patient's perception of visual and auditory. These drugs are severe. Examples of these types of drugs are Psilocybin mushrooms, ecstasy, amphetamine, cocaine, etc.

• Inhalants − These are volatile chemicals that produce vapours, it induces psychoactive and mind-altering. These are used for household and industrial purposes, nail-paint removers, Paint thinners, gasoline, etc.

• Analgesics − These are used to reduce pains in the body, and induces euphoria, and mood swing. Example: Oxycontin, Morphine, Codeine, Darvon, etc.

• Cannabis − It is obtained from herbal plants cannabis Sativa also known as Marijuana. This drug contains the mind-altering chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol.

Conclusion

In the above tutorial, we have studied drugs and their classification. Drugs are chemical substances that are used to diagnose and cure various diseases and abnormalities in the body. The drugs are classified by various means, pharmacologically, and therapeutically. Pharmacologically these are classified based on similarities, mechanism of action drugs like analgesics, inhalants, etc. In therapeutical classification drugs are classified based on physiological change induced by drugs, examples are antihypertensives and antibiotics, etc.

Drugs are both useful and harmful to our bodies. Its effect depends upon the dosage of drug taken, its chemical structure, its route in the body, and both pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic factors. The drugs can be boon for our body if taken in the right dose or can be poisonous too if taken irresponsibly without a prescription.

FAQs

1. What are the scheduled drugs?

Scheduled drugs are the type of classification of drugs based on their tendency, and potential harm to the patient. Drugs are classified in five distinct schedules i.e., Schedule-1, schedule-2, schedule-3, schedule-4, and schedule-5.

2. What are schedule-1 drugs why these are banned in the US?

Schedule-1 drugs are high-risk medicines, these are harmful to the person. These are not acceptable for medicinal uses. Some examples of these drugs are Heroin, Marijuana, Ecstasy, etc.

3. What are schedule H drugs?

These are prescription drugs in India, scheduled in the drugs and cosmetics rule 1945. It can’t be purchased over the counter means without a doctor's prescription. According to the central drug standard control organization, the Schedule-H drug list of 2006 contains 536 drugs.

4. What is drug addiction?

Addiction is the urge for something. Drug addiction is a disease that affects your brain and behaviour for having a legal or illegal drug that is not even required. Drug addiction harms your body and mind and can lead to severe side effects. Some drugs that are used for medicinal purposes are used illegally and cause drug addiction in person like nicotine, alcohol, etc.

5. How does our body process drugs?

When we take a drug it first gets absorbed in the bloodstream, then through the bloodstream, it reaches different organs and the brain. After that, brian alerts the receptors found in the body according to the type of drug. After attaching to receptors, it reacts and metabolises into simple molecules and did its work. Then the remaining elements of drugs are excreted by the body.