- Definition: Chemical Classification groups substances by molecular structure & properties.
- classification is based on the active chemical constituents present in the drug.
- It is widely used in pharmaceutical research.
Categories and Examples:
| Category | Examples |
| Alkaloids | Morphine (Opium), Quinine (Cinchona), Atropine (Belladonna) |
| Glycosides | Digoxin (Digitalis), Sennosides (Senna) |
| Tannins | Catechu, Tea |
| Flavonoids | Rutin (Citrus fruits), Quercetin (Onion, Green tea) |
| Essential Oils | Eucalyptus oil, Clove oil |
| Resins | Cannabis, Asafoetida |
Advantages:
- Useful for drug formulation and standardization.
- Helps in isolating medicinal compounds for synthetic drug development.
Disadvantages:
- Requires chemical knowledge to classify drugs.
Some drugs contain multiple chemical constituents, making classification complex.
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