Veterinary drug classes
Pharmacological classification by mechanism and structure, and the drugs in each class.
50 of 288
| Class | Definition | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Lipoxygenase Inhibitors | 5-lipoxygenase oxygenates arachidonic acid to 5-HPETE and then dehydrates it to leukotriene A4 - the first two steps in leukotriene biosynthesis, and leukotrienes are potent mediators of inflammation. Drugs in this class inhibit that enzyme, so the leukotriene arm of the inflammatory response is suppressed. A drug belongs here because it blocks the lipoxygenase branch of arachidonic acid metabolism, as distinct from the NSAIDs, which block the cyclooxygenase branch that makes prostaglandins. | no links yet |
| Adrenergic alpha1-Agonists | Alpha-1 adrenoceptors are G protein-coupled receptors for the catecholamines noradrenaline and adrenaline. They signal through the Gq/G11 family, stimulating the phosphatidylinositol-calcium pathway so that calcium is released from intracellular stores and protein kinase C is activated - the sequence that makes vascular smooth muscle contract. Drugs in this class bind and activate an alpha-1 receptor, reproducing that catecholamine effect; a drug belongs here because it switches the receptor on rather than blocking it. | no links yet |
| Adrenergic alpha1-Antagonists | Alpha-1 adrenoceptors are G protein-coupled receptors for the catecholamines noradrenaline and adrenaline that signal through the Gq/G11 family: activation stimulates the phosphatidylinositol-calcium second messenger pathway, releasing calcium from intracellular stores and activating protein kinase C, and the receptor acts as a vasopressor in resistance arteries, helping maintain normal arterial blood pressure. Drugs in this class occupy that receptor without activating it, so circulating and neuronally released catecholamines can no longer act through it, and its vasopressor contribution is lost. A drug belongs here because it blocks an alpha-1 receptor; the alpha-1 and alpha-2 antagonist classes are not exclusive, and MED-RT files mirtazapine under both. | no links yet |
| Adrenergic alpha2-Agonists | Alpha-2 adrenoceptors are G protein-coupled catecholamine receptors that activate the Gi/o pathway: they inhibit adenylyl cyclase, stimulate ERK1/2 and suppress voltage-gated calcium channels, and presynaptically they mediate feedback inhibition of noradrenaline release from sympathetic and central nerve terminals. Drugs in this class activate that receptor. The FDA-approved veterinary label for dexmedetomidine describes it as a potent non-narcotic alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonist which produces sedation and analgesia, dose dependent in depth and duration, with an initial vasopressor response followed by a compensatory marked decrease in heart rate. A drug belongs here because it activates an alpha-2 receptor; that does not exclude alpha-1 activity, and MED-RT files dexmedetomidine under the alpha-1 agonist class as well. | no links yet |
| Adrenergic alpha2-Antagonists | Alpha-2 adrenoceptors inhibit adenylyl cyclase through Gi/o, suppress voltage-gated calcium channels and damp presynaptic noradrenaline release. Drugs in this class occupy the receptor without activating it and so lift that inhibition. The FDA-approved veterinary label for atipamezole describes it as a potent alpha-2 antagonist which selectively and competitively inhibits alpha-2 adrenergic receptors, the result in the dog being rapid recovery from the sedative and analgesic effects produced by dexmedetomidine or medetomidine. A drug belongs here because it blocks an alpha-2 receptor, which is why atipamezole, the reversal agent for those two sedatives, sits in this class. As MED-RT populates it the class holds only four ingredients - atipamezole, celiprolol, mianserin and mirtazapine - and atipamezole is the only reversal agent among them. | no links yet |
| Adrenergic beta1-Agonists | The beta-1 adrenoceptor is a G protein-coupled catecholamine receptor that couples to Gs, activating adenylate cyclase and the cAMP-dependent pathway; it binds adrenaline and noradrenaline with approximately equal affinity and, as part of the sympathetic nervous system, drives the stimulation of cardiomyocyte contraction. Drugs in this class activate that receptor, so the expected effect is an increase in the force of the heartbeat. A drug belongs here because it stimulates the beta-1 subtype rather than blocking it; as MED-RT populates the class its members are the catecholamines and their analogues - dobutamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, isoproterenol, dipivefrin. | no links yet |
| Adrenergic beta2-Agonists | The beta-2 adrenoceptor couples to Gs (and to Gi) and binds adrenaline with roughly thirty times the affinity it has for noradrenaline, which is why it responds mainly to circulating adrenaline rather than to sympathetic nerve traffic. Drugs in this class activate it, raising cAMP in smooth muscle and relaxing it - the basis of bronchodilation and of uterine relaxation. A drug belongs here because it stimulates the beta-2 subtype rather than the beta-1 subtype. | no links yet |
| Agents for dermatitis, excluding corticosteroids | OTHER DERMATOLOGICAL PREPARATIONS > OTHER DERMATOLOGICAL PREPARATIONS > Agents for dermatitis, excluding corticosteroids. | no links yet |
| Aldosterone Antagonist | A class of agents that act by selectively inhibiting aldosterone receptor activation with diuretic activity. Aldosterone receptor antagonists bind to and block the activation of aldosterone (mineralocorticoid) receptors on the epithelial cells in the late distal tubule and collecting duct of the kidney, thus preventing the synthesis of aldosterone-induced proteins which enhance Na+ retention and K+ and H+ secretion. The enhanced excretion of Na+ produces diuresis ultimately resulting in a reduction in blood pressure without the loss of K+. | no links yet |
| Aldosterone Antagonists | Aldosterone acts through the mineralocorticoid receptor, which transactivates genes that increase sodium and water retention and potassium loss, raising extracellular fluid volume and blood pressure. Drugs in this class block that receptor: the FDA-approved label for spironolactone describes it and its active metabolites as specific pharmacologic antagonists of aldosterone acting through competitive binding at the aldosterone-dependent sodium-potassium exchange site in the distal convoluted tubule. The result is a potassium-sparing diuresis, so hyperkalaemia rather than hypokalaemia is the risk to watch. | no links yet |
| Alpha-2 Agonists | — | no links yet |
| alpha-Adrenergic Agonist | Natural or synthetic Alpha-adrenergic Agonists selectively bind to and activate alpha adrenergic receptors of the sympathetic nervous system, mimicking the actions of natural sympathomimetic neurotransmitters (norepinephrine and related substances). Alpha-adrenergic Agonists can initiate physiological responses such as vasoconstriction, pupil dilation, and contraction of pilomotor muscles. (NCI04) | no links yet |
| Amidines | octopamine receptor agonists | no links yet |
| Aminocoumarins | antibacterials inhibiting the ATPase activity of the GyrB subunit of DNA gyrase | no links yet |
| Aminoglycoside Antibacterial | Any antibiotic containing amino-modified sugars originally isolated from various Streptomyces and Micromonospora species. Aminoglycoside antibiotics bind to the 16S RNA of the bacterial 30S ribosomal subunit, inhibiting translation and protein synthesis. Aminoglycoside use is associated with ototoxicity, neurotxicity and nephrotoxicity. | no links yet |
| Aminoglycosides | antibacterials ranked critically important in human medicine as one of limited therapies for serious Gram-negative infections | no links yet |
| Amphenicols | — | no links yet |
| Analgesics, Non-Opioid | — | no links yet |
| Androgen | A synthetic or animal-derived hormone that is chemically or functionally similar or identical to endogenous androgen with potential use in therapeutic applications. | no links yet |
| Androgen Receptor Agonists | The androgen receptor is a ligand-activated steroid hormone receptor that acts as a transcription factor: bound by its steroid it works at androgen response elements on target genes, with coactivators and corepressors - ZBTB7A recruiting NCOR1 and NCOR2, for instance - tuning the response, and so regulates proliferation and differentiation in androgen-responsive tissue. Drugs in this class activate it, reproducing the effects of endogenous androgens. A drug belongs here because it is an agonist at the androgen receptor; as MED-RT populates the class that covers testosterone and its esters, the anabolic steroids stanozolol, oxandrolone, oxymetholone, methandrostenolone, methyltestosterone and nandrolone, and danazol. | no links yet |
| Androgens | — | no links yet |
| Angiotensin 2 Receptor Antagonists | Angiotensin II acts on the type-1 angiotensin II receptor (AT1), a G protein-coupled receptor that couples to Gq, activates phospholipase C and raises cytosolic calcium; it is a key regulator of blood pressure and of sodium retention by the kidney. Drugs in this class occupy that receptor without activating it: the FDA-approved label for telmisartan states that it blocks the vasoconstrictor and aldosterone-secreting effects of angiotensin II by selectively blocking the binding of angiotensin II to the AT1 receptor in tissues such as vascular smooth muscle and the adrenal gland, so that its action is independent of the pathways for angiotensin II synthesis. The FDA-approved veterinary label for telmisartan oral solution calls it a selective AT1 receptor blocker with no relevant affinity for other receptors, indicated for the control of systemic hypertension in cats. A drug belongs here because it blocks the receptor, as distinct from an ACE inhibitor, which blocks the enzyme that makes the peptide; the class is the sartans, which UniProt records as strong inhibitors of this receptor. | no links yet |
| Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitor | Any substance that inhibits angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II. Inhibition of ACE results in a reduction in angiotensin II and angiotensin II-induced aldosterone secretion, causing vasodilation and natriuresis. | no links yet |
| Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers | — | no links yet |
| Antacids | — | no links yet |
| Anterior pituitary lobe hormones and analogues | Anterior pituitary lobe hormones and analogues. | no links yet |
| Anthelmintic | A pharmacological agent that can kill or prevent the reproduction of parasitic helminths, including nematodes, flukes and tapeworms. | no links yet |
| Anthelmintics | Anthelmintics. | no links yet |
| Anthelmintics, Benzimidazoles | — | no links yet |
| Anthelmintics, Macrocyclic Lactones | — | no links yet |
| Anthelmintics, Pyrimidines | — | no links yet |
| Anti-arrhythmics, Class I | — | no links yet |
| Anti-arrhythmics, Class II (Beta-Blockers) | — | no links yet |
| Anti-arrhythmics, Class III | — | no links yet |
| Anti-arrhythmics, Class IV (Calcium Channel Blockers) | — | no links yet |
| Anti-inflammatory and anti-rheumatic products | Anti-inflammatory and anti-rheumatic products. | no links yet |
| Anti-inflammatory and anti-rheumatic products, non-steroids | Anti-inflammatory and anti-rheumatic products, non-steroids. | no links yet |
| Antiadrenal preparations | Antiadrenal preparations. | no links yet |
| Anticholinergic | Any agent that binds to and blocks nicotinic and/or muscarinic receptors, thereby preventing the actions of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (Ach) at these receptors. | no links yet |
| Anticonvulsants | — | no links yet |
| Antidiarrheals | — | no links yet |
| Antidote | Agents counteracting or neutralizing the action of POISONS. | no links yet |
| Antidotes | ALL OTHER THERAPEUTIC PRODUCTS > ALL OTHER THERAPEUTIC PRODUCTS > Antidotes. | no links yet |
| Antiemetics | — | no links yet |
| Antiepileptics | Other antiepileptics > Antiepileptics. | no links yet |
| Antifungals, Azoles | — | no links yet |
| Antifungals, Polyenes | — | no links yet |
| Antihistamine | Drugs that bind to but do not activate histamine receptors, thereby blocking the actions of histamine or histamine agonists. Classical antihistaminics block the histamine H1 receptors only. | no links yet |
| Antihistamines | — | no links yet |
| Antimalarial | Agents used to treat malaria, and are usually classified based on action against plasmodia at different stages in their life cycle in the human. | no links yet |
5-Lipoxygenase Inhibitors
5-lipoxygenase oxygenates arachidonic acid to 5-HPETE and then dehydrates it to leukotriene A4 - the first two steps in leukotriene biosynthesis, and leukotrienes are potent mediators of inflammation. Drugs in this class inhibit that enzyme, so the leukotriene arm of the inflammatory response is suppressed. A drug belongs here because it blocks the lipoxygenase branch of arachidonic acid metabolism, as distinct from the NSAIDs, which block the cyclooxygenase branch that makes prostaglandins.
no links yet
Adrenergic alpha1-Agonists
Alpha-1 adrenoceptors are G protein-coupled receptors for the catecholamines noradrenaline and adrenaline. They signal through the Gq/G11 family, stimulating the phosphatidylinositol-calcium pathway so that calcium is released from intracellular stores and protein kinase C is activated - the sequence that makes vascular smooth muscle contract. Drugs in this class bind and activate an alpha-1 receptor, reproducing that catecholamine effect; a drug belongs here because it switches the receptor on rather than blocking it.
no links yet
Adrenergic alpha1-Antagonists
Alpha-1 adrenoceptors are G protein-coupled receptors for the catecholamines noradrenaline and adrenaline that signal through the Gq/G11 family: activation stimulates the phosphatidylinositol-calcium second messenger pathway, releasing calcium from intracellular stores and activating protein kinase C, and the receptor acts as a vasopressor in resistance arteries, helping maintain normal arterial blood pressure. Drugs in this class occupy that receptor without activating it, so circulating and neuronally released catecholamines can no longer act through it, and its vasopressor contribution is lost. A drug belongs here because it blocks an alpha-1 receptor; the alpha-1 and alpha-2 antagonist classes are not exclusive, and MED-RT files mirtazapine under both.
no links yet
Adrenergic alpha2-Agonists
Alpha-2 adrenoceptors are G protein-coupled catecholamine receptors that activate the Gi/o pathway: they inhibit adenylyl cyclase, stimulate ERK1/2 and suppress voltage-gated calcium channels, and presynaptically they mediate feedback inhibition of noradrenaline release from sympathetic and central nerve terminals. Drugs in this class activate that receptor. The FDA-approved veterinary label for dexmedetomidine describes it as a potent non-narcotic alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonist which produces sedation and analgesia, dose dependent in depth and duration, with an initial vasopressor response followed by a compensatory marked decrease in heart rate. A drug belongs here because it activates an alpha-2 receptor; that does not exclude alpha-1 activity, and MED-RT files dexmedetomidine under the alpha-1 agonist class as well.
no links yet
Adrenergic alpha2-Antagonists
Alpha-2 adrenoceptors inhibit adenylyl cyclase through Gi/o, suppress voltage-gated calcium channels and damp presynaptic noradrenaline release. Drugs in this class occupy the receptor without activating it and so lift that inhibition. The FDA-approved veterinary label for atipamezole describes it as a potent alpha-2 antagonist which selectively and competitively inhibits alpha-2 adrenergic receptors, the result in the dog being rapid recovery from the sedative and analgesic effects produced by dexmedetomidine or medetomidine. A drug belongs here because it blocks an alpha-2 receptor, which is why atipamezole, the reversal agent for those two sedatives, sits in this class. As MED-RT populates it the class holds only four ingredients - atipamezole, celiprolol, mianserin and mirtazapine - and atipamezole is the only reversal agent among them.
no links yet
Adrenergic beta1-Agonists
The beta-1 adrenoceptor is a G protein-coupled catecholamine receptor that couples to Gs, activating adenylate cyclase and the cAMP-dependent pathway; it binds adrenaline and noradrenaline with approximately equal affinity and, as part of the sympathetic nervous system, drives the stimulation of cardiomyocyte contraction. Drugs in this class activate that receptor, so the expected effect is an increase in the force of the heartbeat. A drug belongs here because it stimulates the beta-1 subtype rather than blocking it; as MED-RT populates the class its members are the catecholamines and their analogues - dobutamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, isoproterenol, dipivefrin.
no links yet
Adrenergic beta2-Agonists
The beta-2 adrenoceptor couples to Gs (and to Gi) and binds adrenaline with roughly thirty times the affinity it has for noradrenaline, which is why it responds mainly to circulating adrenaline rather than to sympathetic nerve traffic. Drugs in this class activate it, raising cAMP in smooth muscle and relaxing it - the basis of bronchodilation and of uterine relaxation. A drug belongs here because it stimulates the beta-2 subtype rather than the beta-1 subtype.
no links yet
Agents for dermatitis, excluding corticosteroids
OTHER DERMATOLOGICAL PREPARATIONS > OTHER DERMATOLOGICAL PREPARATIONS > Agents for dermatitis, excluding corticosteroids.
no links yet
Aldosterone Antagonist
A class of agents that act by selectively inhibiting aldosterone receptor activation with diuretic activity. Aldosterone receptor antagonists bind to and block the activation of aldosterone (mineralocorticoid) receptors on the epithelial cells in the late distal tubule and collecting duct of the kidney, thus preventing the synthesis of aldosterone-induced proteins which enhance Na+ retention and K+ and H+ secretion. The enhanced excretion of Na+ produces diuresis ultimately resulting in a reduction in blood pressure without the loss of K+.
no links yet
Aldosterone Antagonists
Aldosterone acts through the mineralocorticoid receptor, which transactivates genes that increase sodium and water retention and potassium loss, raising extracellular fluid volume and blood pressure. Drugs in this class block that receptor: the FDA-approved label for spironolactone describes it and its active metabolites as specific pharmacologic antagonists of aldosterone acting through competitive binding at the aldosterone-dependent sodium-potassium exchange site in the distal convoluted tubule. The result is a potassium-sparing diuresis, so hyperkalaemia rather than hypokalaemia is the risk to watch.
no links yet
Alpha-2 Agonists
—
no links yet
alpha-Adrenergic Agonist
Natural or synthetic Alpha-adrenergic Agonists selectively bind to and activate alpha adrenergic receptors of the sympathetic nervous system, mimicking the actions of natural sympathomimetic neurotransmitters (norepinephrine and related substances). Alpha-adrenergic Agonists can initiate physiological responses such as vasoconstriction, pupil dilation, and contraction of pilomotor muscles. (NCI04)
no links yet
Amidines
octopamine receptor agonists
no links yet
Aminocoumarins
antibacterials inhibiting the ATPase activity of the GyrB subunit of DNA gyrase
no links yet
Aminoglycoside Antibacterial
Any antibiotic containing amino-modified sugars originally isolated from various Streptomyces and Micromonospora species. Aminoglycoside antibiotics bind to the 16S RNA of the bacterial 30S ribosomal subunit, inhibiting translation and protein synthesis. Aminoglycoside use is associated with ototoxicity, neurotxicity and nephrotoxicity.
no links yet
Aminoglycosides
antibacterials ranked critically important in human medicine as one of limited therapies for serious Gram-negative infections
no links yet
Amphenicols
—
no links yet
Analgesics, Non-Opioid
—
no links yet
Androgen
A synthetic or animal-derived hormone that is chemically or functionally similar or identical to endogenous androgen with potential use in therapeutic applications.
no links yet
Androgen Receptor Agonists
The androgen receptor is a ligand-activated steroid hormone receptor that acts as a transcription factor: bound by its steroid it works at androgen response elements on target genes, with coactivators and corepressors - ZBTB7A recruiting NCOR1 and NCOR2, for instance - tuning the response, and so regulates proliferation and differentiation in androgen-responsive tissue. Drugs in this class activate it, reproducing the effects of endogenous androgens. A drug belongs here because it is an agonist at the androgen receptor; as MED-RT populates the class that covers testosterone and its esters, the anabolic steroids stanozolol, oxandrolone, oxymetholone, methandrostenolone, methyltestosterone and nandrolone, and danazol.
no links yet
Androgens
—
no links yet
Angiotensin 2 Receptor Antagonists
Angiotensin II acts on the type-1 angiotensin II receptor (AT1), a G protein-coupled receptor that couples to Gq, activates phospholipase C and raises cytosolic calcium; it is a key regulator of blood pressure and of sodium retention by the kidney. Drugs in this class occupy that receptor without activating it: the FDA-approved label for telmisartan states that it blocks the vasoconstrictor and aldosterone-secreting effects of angiotensin II by selectively blocking the binding of angiotensin II to the AT1 receptor in tissues such as vascular smooth muscle and the adrenal gland, so that its action is independent of the pathways for angiotensin II synthesis. The FDA-approved veterinary label for telmisartan oral solution calls it a selective AT1 receptor blocker with no relevant affinity for other receptors, indicated for the control of systemic hypertension in cats. A drug belongs here because it blocks the receptor, as distinct from an ACE inhibitor, which blocks the enzyme that makes the peptide; the class is the sartans, which UniProt records as strong inhibitors of this receptor.
no links yet
Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitor
Any substance that inhibits angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II. Inhibition of ACE results in a reduction in angiotensin II and angiotensin II-induced aldosterone secretion, causing vasodilation and natriuresis.
no links yet
Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers
—
no links yet
Antacids
—
no links yet
Anterior pituitary lobe hormones and analogues
Anterior pituitary lobe hormones and analogues.
no links yet
Anthelmintic
A pharmacological agent that can kill or prevent the reproduction of parasitic helminths, including nematodes, flukes and tapeworms.
no links yet
Anthelmintics
Anthelmintics.
no links yet
Anthelmintics, Benzimidazoles
—
no links yet
Anthelmintics, Macrocyclic Lactones
—
no links yet
Anthelmintics, Pyrimidines
—
no links yet
Anti-arrhythmics, Class I
—
no links yet
Anti-arrhythmics, Class II (Beta-Blockers)
—
no links yet
Anti-arrhythmics, Class III
—
no links yet
Anti-arrhythmics, Class IV (Calcium Channel Blockers)
—
no links yet
Anti-inflammatory and anti-rheumatic products
Anti-inflammatory and anti-rheumatic products.
no links yet
Anti-inflammatory and anti-rheumatic products, non-steroids
Anti-inflammatory and anti-rheumatic products, non-steroids.
no links yet
Antiadrenal preparations
Antiadrenal preparations.
no links yet
Anticholinergic
Any agent that binds to and blocks nicotinic and/or muscarinic receptors, thereby preventing the actions of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (Ach) at these receptors.
no links yet
Anticonvulsants
—
no links yet
Antidiarrheals
—
no links yet
Antidote
Agents counteracting or neutralizing the action of POISONS.
no links yet
Antidotes
ALL OTHER THERAPEUTIC PRODUCTS > ALL OTHER THERAPEUTIC PRODUCTS > Antidotes.
no links yet
Antiemetics
—
no links yet
Antiepileptics
Other antiepileptics > Antiepileptics.
no links yet
Antifungals, Azoles
—
no links yet
Antifungals, Polyenes
—
no links yet
Antihistamine
Drugs that bind to but do not activate histamine receptors, thereby blocking the actions of histamine or histamine agonists. Classical antihistaminics block the histamine H1 receptors only.
no links yet
Antihistamines
—
no links yet
Antimalarial
Agents used to treat malaria, and are usually classified based on action against plasmodia at different stages in their life cycle in the human.
no links yet
Page 1 of 6