Drug names and classes

A drug can have several names. There is usually a genericname for a drug substance
plus one or more brand names. You can search for drugs by either their generic or brand
names on PubMed Health.
Generic names for drugs are chosen by a variety of official bodies. That means that these
names sometimes vary from country to country. For example, the generic name for one
common pain medication is acetaminophen in the USA. However in many countries the
same drug is called paracetamol.
Drug manufacturers choose the brand names of their products. There can be many
brands of a particular drug. A brand name is also sometimes called a proprietary name.
The brand names are usually easier to say and easier to remember. They may be better
known than the generic name. Acetaminophen is often called by one of its commonly used
brands in the USA: Tylenol.

Drug classes
A drug also belongs to one or more drug classes. A drug class is a group of drugs that
have something in common. They are similar in some way, but they are not identical.
Drugs can be in a class with other drugs because:
The drugs are related by their chemical structure.
Example: Aspirin is a salicylate. Its full chemical name is acetylsalicylic acid or ASA. A
salicylate is a chemical found in plants, for example, in willow tree bark and the
meadowsweet plant.
The drugs work in the same way.
Example: Aspirin can prevent the formation of blood clots by stopping molecules in the
blood called platelets from clumping or aggregating. So it belongs to a drug class called
anti-platelets or platelet aggregation inhibitors.
The drugs are used for the same purpose.
Example: Aspirin is used to reduce fever. Drugs that treat fever are called anti-pyretic
drugs or anti-pyretics.

Drug Classifications
Drugs are classified according to their common effects and actions on the mind and body. Click on the following
links for more information.

Depressants
Hallucinogens
Opiates
Stimulants

Depressants
Depressants slow normal brain function. Because of this effect, depressants are often used to treat anxiety and
sleep disorders.
Although the different depressant drugs work uniquely in the brain, it is through their effect on GABA activity that
produces a drowsy or calming effect. GABA works to decrease brain activity.
Despite their prescription for treatment of anxiety and sleep disorders, depressants also carry high addictive
potential. The withdrawal effects from long-term depressant use can be life-threatening and produce some of the
worst consequences of any other drug classifications. Keep in mind: this includes alcohol.
Examples include: alcohol, Valium, Xanax, Librium, and barbiturates.

Hallucinogens
Hallucinogens are drugs which cause altered perception and feeling. Hallucinogens have powerful mind-altering
effects and can change how the brain perceives time, everyday reality, and the surrounding environment. They
affect regions of the brain that are responsible for coordination, thought processes, hearing, and sight. They can
cause people to hear voices, see things, and feel sensations that do not exist.
Hallucinogens change the way the brain works by changing the way nerve cells communicate with one
another. Click here for more information about how the brain is impacted by hallucinogen use.
Hallucinogens possess a moderate potential for addiction with very high potential for tolerance, moderate level of
psychological dependence, and low potential for physical dependence. Most of the risks associated with
hallucinogen use are associated with the risk for personal injury and life-threatening accidents.
Examples include: LSD, PCP, MDMA (Ecstasy), marijuana, mescaline, and psilocybin.

Opiates
Opiates are powerful painkillers. They are made from opium, a white liquid in the poppy plant. Opiates produce a
quick, intense feeling of pleasure followed by a sense of well-being and calm.
Long-term opiate use changes the way the brain works by changing the way nerve cells communicate with one
another. If opiates are taken away from opiate-dependent brain cells, many of them will become overactive.
Eventually, cells will work normally again if the person recovers, but they cause wide range of withdrawal symptoms
that affect the mind and the body.
As with many other drugs, opiates possess very high addictive potential.
Examples include: heroin, morphine, codeine, and Oxycontin.

Stimulants
Stimulants are a class of drugs that elevate mood, increase feelings of well-being, and increase energy and
alertness. Stimulants can cause the heart to beat faster and will also cause blood pressure and breathing to
elevate. Repeated use of stimulants can result in paranoia and hostility.
Stimulants change the way the brain works by changing the way nerve cells communicate with one another. Click
here for more information about how the brain is impacted by stimulant use.
As with many other drugs, stimulants possess very high addictive potential.
Examples include: cocaine, methamphetamine, amphetamine, MDMA (Ecstasy), nicotine, and caffeine.