Pharmacology is the study of how medicinal substances interact with living systems.

Pharmacology is the study of drugs, their nature, their sources, and their properties, absorption, distribution, biotransformation, elimination, interactions, toxicology, and therapeutic applications.

Pharmacology is the study of the body’s reaction to drugs or Pharmacology is the study of Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of a drug.

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Here is a list of Pharmacology Classification of drugs which every pharmacist and medical student should know.

We already have a shared pharmacology drug classification chart on our Facebook page many times. But here we will share some authentic classification from various Pharmacology books. The Following is a drug classification for nurses, doctors, and pharmacists.

Pharmacology classification

1. Adrenergic Antagonists

Further classified into

a) Alpha Adrenergic Antagonists

They can be classified into three groups;

List of Drugs

Mainly Alpha 1 antagonists

Prazosin
Doxazosin
Terazosin
Tamsulosin
Alfuzosin
Indoramin
Urapidil

Mainly Alpha 2 Antagonists:

Yohimbine
Tolazoline

Alpha 1 And Alpha 2 Antagonists:

Phenoxybenzamine
Phentolamine

b) Beta-Adrenergic Antagonists

Beta 1 And Beta 2 Antagonists

Propranolol
Pindolol
Penbutolol
Nadolol
Carteolol
Timolol
Sotalol

Mainly Beta 1 Antagonists

Acebutolol
Atenolol
Alprenolol
Betaxolol
Celiprolol
Metoprolol
Esmolol
Nebivolol

2. Adrenergic Agonists

Direct action

These drugs act directly on one or more adrenergic receptors. According to receptor selectivity, they are two types:

Non-selective: drugs act on one or more receptors; these are:

List of Drugs

Adrenaline (almost all adrenergic receptors).
Noradrenaline (acts on α₁, α₂, β₁).
Isoprenaline (acts on β₁, β₂, β₃).
Dopamine (acts on α₁, α₂, β₁, D₁, D₂).

Selective: drugs which act on a single receptor only; these are further classified into

List of Drugs

α selective & β selective.
α1 selective: Phenylephrine, Methoxamine, Midodrine, Oxymetazoline.
α2 selective: α-Methyldopa, clonidine, brimonidine.
β1 selective: Dobutamine.
β2 selective: Salbutamol/Albuterol, Terbutaline, Salmeterol, Formoterol, Pirbuterol. [1]

Indirect action

List of Drugs

Amphetamines
Cocaine
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)
Tyramine
Nicotine
Caffeine
Methylphenidate

Mixed action

Ephedrine
Pseudoephedrine

Pharmacology Classification

3. Cholinergic Agonists

Direct and indirect-acting Agonists

List of Drugs

1. Direct Acting Agonist Drugs:

Are further divided into two groups

a. Choline Esters

Acetylcholine
Methacholine
Carbachol
Bethanechol

b. Cholinomimetic alkaloids

Muscarine
Nicotine
Pilocarpine
Lobeline

2. Indirect Acting Drugs:

List of Drugs

a. Reversibly Acting:

Neostigmine
Physostigmine
Demecarium
Pyridostigmine
Ambenonium

b. Irreversible Acting:

Echothiophate
Parathion
Malathion
Tetraethyl Pyrophosphate

4. Pharmacology Classification of Cholinergic Antagonists

List of Drugs

Antimuscarinic agents

Atropine
Benztropine
Biperiden
Chlorpheniramine
Dicyclomine
Dimenhydrinate
Diphenhydramine
Doxepin
Doxylamine
Glycopyrrolate
Ipratropium
Orphenadrine
Oxitropium
Oxybutynin
Propantheline bromide
Tolterodine
Tiotropium
Trihexyphenidyl
Scopolamine
Solifenacin
Tropicamide

Antinicotinic agents

Bupropion
Dextromethorphan
Doxacurium
Hexamethonium
Mecamylamine
Tubocurarine

Also, Read Pain & Inflammation Supplements

5. Pharmacology Classification of Antianginal Drugs

List of Drugs

a) Organic Nitrates

Nitroglycerin
Isosorbide Dinitrate
Isosorbide Mononitrate
Amyl nitrite

b) Calcium Channel Blockers

List of Drugs

Further Divided Into

1. Dihydropyridine

Nifedipine
Nicardipine
Amlodipine
Nisoldipine
Nitrendipine
Nimodipine

2. Miscellaneous Drugs

Verapamil
Diltiazem
Bepridil

c) Beta-Blockers

Further Divided Into

1. ß 1 + ß 2 Antagonists

Propranolol
Penbutolol
Sotalol
Pindolol
Timolol

2. ß 1 Selective Antagonist

Metoprolol
Atenolol
Esmolol
Acebutolol
Betaxolol

6. Drugs used in Congestive cardiac failure

Drugs Used For Congestive Cardiac Failure are,

1) Drugs used to decrease preload:

Diuretics
Organic nitrate

2) Drugs which decrease afterload

Hydralazine
Minoxidil

3) Drugs which decrease both preload and afterload:

Captopril
Enalapril
Lisinopril
Fosinopril
Quinapril

4) Positive inotropic drugs:
They can be further divided into three groups;

A. Cardiac glycosides:

Digoxin
Digitoxin
Ouabain
Lanatoside.

2) Phosphodiesterase inhibitors:

Inamrinonone (Amrinone)
Milrinone

3.Sympathomimetics:

Dopamine
Dobutamine
Depoxamine
Xamoterol

7. Pharmacology Classification of Antiplatelet Drugs

Antiplatelet List of drugs include:

Anagrelide
Aspirin
clopidogrel
prasugrel
ticagrelor
tirofiban
vorapaxar
dipyridamole

8. Anticoagulant Drugs

List of drugs in this class include:

warfarin
dabigatran
edoxaban
rivaroxaban
apixaban

Pharmacology drugs classification

9. Diuretics

Thiazides diuretics

List of Drugs

Chlorothiazide
Chlorthalidone
Indapamide
Hydrochlorothiazide
Methyclothiazide
Metolazone

Loop diuretics

List of Drugs

Bumetanide
Furosemide
Ethacrynate
Torsemide

Potassium-sparing diuretics

Amiloride hydrochloride
spironolactone
triamterene

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10. Pharmacology Classification of Statins

Statins that are approved for use in the U.S. include:

List of Drugs

Atorvastatin
Fluvastatin
Lovastatin
Pravastatin
Rosuvastatin
Simvastatin
Pitavastatin

11.Thrombolytic Drug

Thrombolytic List of Drugs — include:

Anistreplase
Reteplase
Streptokinase, kabikinase
t-PA (class of drugs that includes Activase)
TNKase (tenecteplase)
Abbokinase, Kinlytic (rokinase)

12. Pharmacology Classification of Sedative Hypnotic

1. Sedative Anxiolytic Drugs

Benzodiazepines List of Drugs

Alprazolam
Bromazepam
Chlordiazepoxide
Clonazepam
Clorazepate
Diazepam
Flurazepam
Lorazepam
Oxazepam
Temazepam
Triazolam

Barbiturates

barbiturates include:

Phenobarbital
Mephobarbital
Amobarbital sodium
Butabarbital sodium
Secobarbital sodium

2. Non Sedative

Buspirone
Gepirone
Ipsapirone
Tandospirone

13. Antidepressants

List of Drugs

1. Tricyclic Antidepressant

Amitriptyline
Amoxapine
Desipramine
Doxepin
Imipramine
Nortriptyline
Protriptyline
Trimipramine

2. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)

Citalopram
Escitalopram
Paroxetine
Fluoxetine
Fluvoxamine
Sertraline

3. Serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)

Desvenlafaxine
Duloxetine
Levomilnacipran
Milnacipran
Venlafaxine

4. Serotonin modulators and stimulators (SMS)

Vilazodone
Vortioxetine

5. Norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (NRIs)

Reboxetine
Teniloxazine
Viloxazine

6. Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors

Isocarboxazid
Phenelzine
Selegiline
Tranylcypromine

14. Antipsychotic Drugs

Aripiprazole
Asenapine
Cariprazine
Clozapine
Lurasidone
Olanzapine
Quetiapine
Risperidone
Ziprasidone

15. Anti epileptic Drugs

Absence seizures (including typical and atypical absences):

List of Drugs

Acetazolamide
Clonazepam
Ethosuximide
Lamotrigine
Sodium valproate

Atonic seizures:

Phenobarbital
Phenytoin
Primidone
Sodium valproate

Catamenial seizures (menstrual-related):

Acetazolamide
Clobazam

Cluster seizures:

Clobazam

Episodic disorders:

Acetazolamide

Dravet syndrome (severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy or SMEI):

Stiripentol

Focal (partial) seizures:

Acetazolamide
Carbamazepine
Clobazam
Clonazepam
Eslicarbazepine acetate
Gabapentin
Lacosamide
Lamotrigine
Levetiracetam
Oxcarbazepine
Perampanel
Phenobarbital
Phenytoin
Pregabalin
Primidone
Retigabine
Sodium valproate
Tiagabine
Topiramate
Vigabatrin
Zonisamide

Focal (partial) seizures with secondary generalisation:

Gabapentin
Lacosamide
Levetiracetam
Perampanel
Phenobarbital
Phenytoin
Pregabalin
Primidone
Retigabine
Sodium valproate
Tiagabine
Topiramate
Vigabatrin
Zonisamide

Focal seizures with secondary generalised tonic clonic seizures:

Carbamazepine
Eslicarbazepine acetate
Lamotrigine
Oxcarbazepine

Infantile spasms:

Nitrazepam
Sodium valproate
Vigabatrin

Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy (seizures related to):

Levetiracetam

Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (seizures related to):

Lamotrigine
Rufinamide
Topiramate

Myoclonic seizures:

Clonazepam
Ethosuximide
Phenobarbital
Phenytoin
Primidone
Piracetam
Sodium valproate

Tonic seizures:

Phenobarbital
Phenytoin
Primidone
Sodium valproate

Tonic clonic seizures:

Acetazolamide
Carbamazepine
Clobazam
Clonazepam
Eslicarbazepine acetate
Lamotrigine
Phenobarbital
Phenytoin
Primidone
Sodium valproate
Topiramate

West Syndrome with Tuberous Sclerosis:

Vigabatrin

16. Pharmacology drugs classification Anesthetic Drugs

List of Drugs

Local anesthetics

Procaine
Amethocaine
Lidocaine (also known as lignocaine)
Prilocaine
Bupivacaine
Levobupivacaine
Ropivacaine
Mepivacaine
Dibucaine
Cocaine

General anesthetics

Inhaled agents

Desflurane
Enflurane
Halothane
Isoflurane
Methoxyflurane
Nitrous oxide
Sevoflurane
Xenon
Cocaine

Intravenous agents (non-opioid)

Barbiturates
Amobarbital (trade name: Amytal)
Methohexital (trade name: Brevital)
Thiamylal (trade name: Surital)
Thiopental
Benzodiazepines
Diazepam
Lorazepam
Midazolam
Etomidate
Ketamine
Propofol

17. Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs

List of Drugs

Aspirin
Celecoxib
Diclofenac
Diflunisal
Etodolac
Ibuprofen
Ketoprofen
Ketorolac
Nabumetone
Naproxen
Oxaprozin
Piroxicam

18. Disease-Modifying Anti Rheumatic Drugs

List of Drugs

a) Immunosuppressive Drugs

Methotrexate
Cyclophosphamide
Azathioprine
Chlorambucil
Cyclosporine
Mycophenolate mofetil
Leflunomide

b) Gold Compounds

Aurothiomalate
Aurothioglucose
Auranofin

c) Aminoquinolines

Chloroquine
Hydroxychloroquine alpha

19. Antigout Drugs

Further Divided Into

Drugs For the treatment of Acute Attack of Gout

Colchicine
NSAIDs

Drugs For the Prevention Of Gout

Uricosuric Drugs ( Probenecid, Sulphinopyrazine
Inhibitors of Uric Acid synthesis (allopurinol, Febuxostat

20. Anti-migraine Drugs

Drugs For The Treatment OF Acute Attack

1. 5-HT1 Agonists

Sumatriptan
Zolmitriptan
Naratriptan
Rizatriptan

2. Other Drugs

Ergotamine
Dihydroergotamine
NSAIDs
Paracetamol
Opioids

Prophylactic Drugs

Drugs in this class are;

Propranolol
Aspirin
Pizotifen
Cyproheptadine
Amitriptyline
Imipramine
Fluoxetine
Sertraline
Methysergide
Flunarizine
Clonidine

21. Antimicrobial Drugs

1. Beta-Lactam Antimicrobials

List of Drugs In This class Include

Penicillin
Cephalosporins
Monobactams
Carbapenems

Penicillin

Narrow Spectrum Penicillin

Further Classified into two

a) Penicillinase Sensitive Penicillin

Penicillin G (Benzyl Penicillin)
Penicillin V

b) Penicillinase Resistant Penicillin

Nafcillin
Oxacillin
Cloxacillin
Dicloxacillin
Flucloxacillin
Methicillin

c) Broad Spectrum Penicillin

This is further divided into two

1. Aminopenicillin

Ampicillin
Amoxicillin
Bacampicillin
Talampicillin

2. Antipseudomonal Penicillin

They are further divided into two

1. Carboxypenicillin

Carbenicillin
Ticarcillin

2. Ureidopenicillins

Azlocillin
Mezlocillin
Piperacillin

2. Fluoroquinolones ;

(A)First Generation e.g Nalidixic acid
(B)Second Generation e.g Ciprofloxacin, Norfloxacin, and ofloxacin.
Norfloxacin doesn’t absorb very well and they are not used most commonly While ciprofloxacin is the most commonly used drug in this class.
(C)Third Generation E.g Levofloxacin
(D)Fourth Generation: Moxifloxacin

3. Cephalosporins

First-Generation Cephalosporins

cefadroxil
cefazedone
cefazolin
cephalexin
cephalothin
cephradine
cephaloridine
cephapirin

Second-Generation Cephalosporins

cefaclor
cefamandole
cefprozil
cefuroxime
loracarbef
cephalosporins

Third-Generation Cephalosporins

cefcapene
cefdinir
cefditoren
cefetamet
cefixime
cefmenoxime
cefoperazone
cefotaxime
cefpiramide
cefpodoxime
cefsulodin
ceftibuten
ceftizoxime
ceftriaxone

Fourth-Generation Cephalosporins

cefepime
cefluprenam
cefozopran
cefpirome
cefquinome

3. Sulfa Drugs

List of Drugs in this class include:

Co-Trimoxazole
Sulfadiazine
Sulfamethoxazole
Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole
Trimethoprim
Sulfasalazine
Sulfisoxazole

5. Antitubercular Drugs

“first line” drugs

Isoniazid
Rifampicin
Pyrazinamide
Ethambutol
and Streptomycin

Second Line Drugs

Para aminosalicylic Acid
Amikacin
Capreomycin
Ciprofloxacin
Clofazimine
Cycloserine
Ethionamide
Levofloxacin
Rifabutin
Rifapentine

6. Macrolide

Macrolide antibiotics are:

Azithromycin
Clarithromycin
Erythromycin
Telithromycin
Spiramycin

22. Laxative Drugs

Osmotic laxatives include the following:

Lactulose.
Glycerin.
Polyethylene glycol and electrolytes.
Glycerin rectal.
Polyethylene glycol electrolyte solution.
Polyethylene glycol powder.
Sodium sulfate/potassium sulfate/magnesium sulfate.
Polyethylene glycol/electrolytes/sodium ascorbate/ascorbic acid.
Milk of magnesia,
Magnesium citrate,
Sorbitol.

23. Antidiabetic Drugs

These include:

Biguanides like metformin.
Meglitinides like nateglinide and repaglinide
Sulfonylureas such as glimepiride, glipizide, glyburide, gliclazide, and tolazamide.
Thiazolidinediones (Tzd) such as pioglitazone, Actosgeneric and rosiglitazone.
Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors like Acarbose.
Dopamine agonists such as Bromocriptine.

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References

The need of a uniform drug classification in textbooks of pharmacology [Internet]. [Cited 27 June 2020]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4689032/
Lippincott Illustrated Reviews [Internet]. [Cited 27 June 2020].