What is the basis of most useful classification of medications in medical chemistry?

The correct answer is ​Molecular targets.

Key Points

• The most useful classification of drugs for medicinal chemists is based on molecular targets.
• This classification is based on the target molecules, which are usually biomolecules like carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
• Drugs that target specific biomolecules tend to have better results.
• These drugs possess some common structural features and may have the same mechanism of action on a specific drug target.
• There are other ways to classify drugs as well. For example, drugs can be classified based on their chemical structure, pharmacological effect, or drug action.
• However, the classification based on molecular targets is considered the most useful for medicinal chemists.

Additional InformationCommon examples of molecular targets:

• Receptors: Many drugs work by binding to and modulating the activity of cell surface receptors. For example, beta-blockers target beta-adrenergic receptors in the heart to reduce heart rate and blood pressure.
• Enzymes: Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions in the body. Drugs can inhibit or enhance the activity of specific enzymes to regulate biological processes. 
• DNA and RNA: Some drugs target nucleic acids. For example, chemotherapy drugs often target the DNA in cancer cells to inhibit their replication.
• Proteins in Disease-Related Pathways: In diseases like cancer, drugs may target specific proteins or pathways that are dysregulated in the disease. For example, drugs like Imatinib target the BCR-ABL fusion protein in chronic myeloid leukemia.