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Revision as of 00:54, 21 September 2007 view sourceAgyle (talk \| contribs)Extended confirmed users4,382 editsm Tagged Medicatoins section as unreferenced. No sources. See WP:SOURCES. Tagged caption of photograph with Fact, as it is unsourced.← Previous edit		Revision as of 02:31, 21 September 2007 view source Agyle (talk \| contribs)Extended confirmed users4,382 edits Replaced unreferenced opening paragraph with newly written, fully referenced material.Next edit →
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	{{refimprove\|date=July 2007}}		{{refimprove\|date=July 2007}}
	] is the most widely used psychoactive substance in the world.{{Fact\|date=September 2007}}]]		] is the most widely used psychoactive substance in the world.{{Fact\|date=September 2007}}]]

	A '''drug''' is any chemical or biological substance, ] or non-synthetic, that when taken into the organism's body, will in some way alter the functions of that organism.{{Fact\|date=September 2007}} This broad definition can be taken to include such substances as ].{{Fact\|date=September 2007}} However more strict applications of the word prevail in everyday life. In these cases the word "drug" is usually used to refer specifically to ], ], ]ic ]s, ] or ]. Many natural substances such as ]s, ]s, and some ], blur the line between food and drugs, as when ingested they affect the functioning of both ] and ].
			<!-- Please cite reliable sources, according to Misplaced Pages guidelines, for any new information. -->

			A '''drug''', broadly speaking, is a substance used as a ] or ].<ref> ''WordNet 3.0'', Princeton University, via dictionary.com. Retrieved on ]-].</ref> There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in ], ]s, and colloquial usage.<ref name="diccom"> ''Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)'', ], via dictionary.com. Retrieved on ]-].</ref>

			In ], ''Dictionary.com'' defines a drug as "a ] substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being."<ref name="diccom" /> Drugs may be prescribed for a limited duration, or on a regular basis for ].<ref name="ahsci"> ''The American Heritage Science Dictionary'', ], via dictionary.com. Retrieved on ]-].</ref>

			] are chemical substances that affect the ], such as ]s or ]s.<ref name="ahsci" /> They may be used for perceived beneficial effects on ], ], ], and ].<ref name="ahsci" /><ref name="mwmed"> ''Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary'', Merriam-Webster, Inc., via dictionary.com. Retrieved on ]-].</ref> Some recreational drugs can cause ] and habituation.<ref name="mwmed" />

	Drugs are usually distinguished from ] biochemicals by being introduced from outside the organism.{{Fact\|date=September 2007}} For example, ] is a hormone that is synthesized in the body; it is called a hormone when it is synthesized by the pancreas inside the body, but if it is introduced into the body from outside, it is called a drug.{{Fact\|date=September 2007}}		Drugs are usually distinguished from ] biochemicals by being introduced from outside the organism.{{Fact\|date=September 2007}} For example, ] is a hormone that is synthesized in the body; it is called a hormone when it is synthesized by the pancreas inside the body, but if it is introduced into the body from outside, it is called a drug.{{Fact\|date=September 2007}}

			Many natural substances such as ]s, ]s, and some ], blur the line between food and drugs, as when ingested they affect the functioning of both ] and ].{{Fact\|date=September 2007}}

	==Medication==		==Medication==

Revision as of 02:31, 21 September 2007

For other uses, see Drug (disambiguation).

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Drug" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (July 2007) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

A drug, broadly speaking, is a substance used as a medicine or narcotic. There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in medicine, government regulations, and colloquial usage.

In pharmacology, Dictionary.com defines a drug as "a chemical substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being." Drugs may be prescribed for a limited duration, or on a regular basis for chronic disorders.

Recreational drugs are chemical substances that affect the central nervous system, such as narcotics or hallucinogens. They may be used for perceived beneficial effects on perception, consciousnesss, personality, and behavior. Some recreational drugs can cause addiction and habituation.

Drugs are usually distinguished from endogenous biochemicals by being introduced from outside the organism. For example, insulin is a hormone that is synthesized in the body; it is called a hormone when it is synthesized by the pancreas inside the body, but if it is introduced into the body from outside, it is called a drug.

Many natural substances such as beers, wines, and some mushrooms, blur the line between food and drugs, as when ingested they affect the functioning of both mind and body.

Medication

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Drug" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (September 2007) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Main article: Medication

A medication or medicine is a drug taken to cure and/or ameliorate any symptoms of an illness or medical condition, or may be used as preventive medicine that has future benefits but does not treat any existing or pre-existing diseases or symptoms.

Dispensing of medication is often regulated by governments into three categories — over-the-counter (OTC) medications, which are available in pharmacies and supermarkets without special restrictions, behind-the-counter (BTC), which are dispensed by a pharmacist without needing a doctor's prescription, and Prescription only medicines (POM), which must be prescribed by a licensed medical professional, usually a physician.

In the UK, BTC medicines are called pharmacy medicines which can only be sold in registered pharmacies, by or under the supervision of a pharmacist. However, the precise distinction between OTC and prescription drugs depends on the legal jurisdiction.

Medications are typically produced by pharmaceutical companies and are often patented to give the developer exclusive rights to produce them, but they can also be derived from naturally occurring substance in plants called herbal medicine. Those that are not patented (or with expired patents) are called generic drugs since they can be produced by other companies without restrictions or licenses from the patent holder.

Drugs, both medications and recreational can be administered in a number of ways:

Orally, as a liquid or solid, that is absorbed through the stomach.
Inhaled, (breathed into the lungs), as a vapor.
Injected as a liquid either intramuscular or intravenous (put under the skin, into a vein or muscle tissue with the use of a hypodermic needle).
Rectally as a suppository, that is absorbed by the colon.
Vaginally as a suppository, primarily to treat vaginal infections.
Bolus, a substance into the stomach to dissolve slowly.

Many drugs can be administered in a variety of ways.

Recreation

Main article: Recreational drug use Further information: ]

Recreational drug use is the use of psychoactive drugs for recreational purposes rather than for work, medical or spiritual purposes. Much controversy has arisen over recreational drug use, and governments across the world have regulated the consumption and/or distribution of drugs in the name of fighting drug abuse, but many countries' laws are criticized for being passed under ulterior motives or for being hypocritical. This seems to be changing, slowly, as Canada follows the Netherlands' lead and largely decriminalizes marijuana.

Legal definition of drugs

Some countries also defined what a drug is by law. In the United States, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act defines a drug as being an article "intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in man or other animals" or an article "(other than food) intended to affect the structure or any function of the body of man or other animals." FDCA § 201(g)(1)

List of drugs

See list of drugs for an alphabetical list of drugs by name. Many drugs have more than one name and, therefore, the same drug may be listed more than once. Brand names and generic names are differentiated by the use of capital initials for the former. Some drugs may have slang names and may need to be accessed using those names.

Controversy

Drug companies research the effects that their drugs have in clinical trials. However, a 2004 New York Times article says that some drug companies refuse to disclose the results of such testing, especially when results are poor. Such was the case when the FDA was investigating a reported increase in the rates of suicide for people given antidepressants where the effects were unknown for children.

References

"Drug." WordNet 3.0, Princeton University, via dictionary.com. Retrieved on 2007-09-20.
^ "Drug." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1), Random House, Inc., via dictionary.com. Retrieved on 2007-09-20.
^ "Drug." The American Heritage Science Dictionary, Houghton Mifflin Company, via dictionary.com. Retrieved on 2007-09-20.
^ "Drug." Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Inc., via dictionary.com. Retrieved on 2007-09-20.
MEIER, BARRY (2004 Nov 29). "Contracts Keep Drug Research Out of Reach". Page 1 Business Section, New York Times. Retrieved 2007-07-02. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

External links

Get rid of drugs. Drug Addiction Treatment Useful resource website with detailed information on drugs and how to treat drug addiction. "Say NO to drugs" May 4 2007
The Cult of Pharmacology: How America Became the World's Most Troubled Drug Culture by Richard DeGrandpre, Duke University Press, 2006.
'don't drug + drive' German web-site providing information on the influence of recreational drugs in driving.

v t e Major chemical drug groups – based upon the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System
gastrointestinal tract / metabolism (A)	stomach acid Antacids H₂ antagonists Proton-pump inhibitors Antiemetics Laxatives Antidiarrhoeals / Antipropulsives Anti-obesity drugs Diabetes medication Vitamins Dietary minerals
blood and blood forming organs (B)	Antithrombotics Antiplatelets Anticoagulants Thrombolytics / fibrinolytics Antihemorrhagics Platelets Coagulants Antifibrinolytics
cardiovascular system (C)	cardiac therapy / antianginals Cardiac glycosides Antiarrhythmics Cardiac stimulants Antihypertensives Diuretics Vasodilators Beta blockers Calcium channel blockers renin–angiotensin system ACE inhibitors Angiotensin II receptor antagonists Renin inhibitors Antihyperlipidemics Statins Fibrates Bile acid sequestrants
skin (D)	Emollients Cicatrizants Antipruritics Antipsoriatics Medicated dressings
genitourinary system (G)	Hormonal contraception Fertility agents Selective estrogen receptor modulators Sex hormones
endocrine system (H)	Hypothalamic–pituitary hormones Corticosteroids Glucocorticoids Mineralocorticoids Sex hormones Thyroid hormones / Antithyroid agents
infections and infestations (J, P, QI)	Antimicrobials: Antibacterials (Antimycobacterials) Antifungals Antivirals Antiparasitics Antiprotozoals Anthelmintics Ectoparasiticides Intravenous immunoglobulin Vaccines
malignant disease (L01–L02)	Anticancer agents Antimetabolites Alkylating Spindle poisons Antineoplastic Topoisomerase inhibitors
immune disease (L03–L04)	Immunomodulators Immunostimulants Immunosuppressants
muscles, bones, and joints (M)	Anabolic steroids Anti-inflammatories Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs Antirheumatics Corticosteroids Muscle relaxants Bisphosphonates
brain and nervous system (N)	Analgesics Anesthetics General Local Anorectics Anti-ADHD agents Antiaddictives Anticonvulsants Antidementia agents Antidepressants Antimigraine agents Antiparkinson agents Antipsychotics Anxiolytics Aphrodisiacs Depressants Entactogens Entheogens Euphoriants Hallucinogens Psychedelics Dissociatives Deliriants Hypnotics / Sedatives Mood stabilizers Motivation-enhancing drug Neuroprotectives Nootropics Neurotoxins Orexigenics Serenics Stimulants Wakefulness-promoting agents
respiratory system (R)	Decongestants Bronchodilators Cough medicines H₁ antagonists
sensory organs (S)	Ophthalmologicals Otologicals
other ATC (V)	Antidotes Contrast media Radiopharmaceuticals Dressings Senotherapeutics
Drugs Pharmacological classification systems ATC codes Medicine portal

Category:

Drugs

Revision as of 00:54, 21 September 2007 view sourceAgyle (talk \| contribs)Extended confirmed users4,382 editsm Tagged Medicatoins section as unreferenced. No sources. See WP:SOURCES. Tagged caption of photograph with Fact, as it is unsourced.← Previous edit		Revision as of 02:31, 21 September 2007 view source Agyle (talk \| contribs)Extended confirmed users4,382 edits Replaced unreferenced opening paragraph with newly written, fully referenced material.Next edit →
Line 4:		Line 4:
	{{refimprove\|date=July 2007}}		{{refimprove\|date=July 2007}}
	] is the most widely used psychoactive substance in the world.{{Fact\|date=September 2007}}]]		] is the most widely used psychoactive substance in the world.{{Fact\|date=September 2007}}]]

	A '''drug''' is any chemical or biological substance, ] or non-synthetic, that when taken into the organism's body, will in some way alter the functions of that organism.{{Fact\|date=September 2007}} This broad definition can be taken to include such substances as ].{{Fact\|date=September 2007}} However more strict applications of the word prevail in everyday life. In these cases the word "drug" is usually used to refer specifically to ], ], ]ic ]s, ] or ]. Many natural substances such as ]s, ]s, and some ], blur the line between food and drugs, as when ingested they affect the functioning of both ] and ].
			<!-- Please cite reliable sources, according to Misplaced Pages guidelines, for any new information. -->

			A '''drug''', broadly speaking, is a substance used as a ] or ].<ref> ''WordNet 3.0'', Princeton University, via dictionary.com. Retrieved on ]-].</ref> There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in ], ]s, and colloquial usage.<ref name="diccom"> ''Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)'', ], via dictionary.com. Retrieved on ]-].</ref>

			In ], ''Dictionary.com'' defines a drug as "a ] substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being."<ref name="diccom" /> Drugs may be prescribed for a limited duration, or on a regular basis for ].<ref name="ahsci"> ''The American Heritage Science Dictionary'', ], via dictionary.com. Retrieved on ]-].</ref>

			] are chemical substances that affect the ], such as ]s or ]s.<ref name="ahsci" /> They may be used for perceived beneficial effects on ], ], ], and ].<ref name="ahsci" /><ref name="mwmed"> ''Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary'', Merriam-Webster, Inc., via dictionary.com. Retrieved on ]-].</ref> Some recreational drugs can cause ] and habituation.<ref name="mwmed" />

	Drugs are usually distinguished from ] biochemicals by being introduced from outside the organism.{{Fact\|date=September 2007}} For example, ] is a hormone that is synthesized in the body; it is called a hormone when it is synthesized by the pancreas inside the body, but if it is introduced into the body from outside, it is called a drug.{{Fact\|date=September 2007}}		Drugs are usually distinguished from ] biochemicals by being introduced from outside the organism.{{Fact\|date=September 2007}} For example, ] is a hormone that is synthesized in the body; it is called a hormone when it is synthesized by the pancreas inside the body, but if it is introduced into the body from outside, it is called a drug.{{Fact\|date=September 2007}}

			Many natural substances such as ]s, ]s, and some ], blur the line between food and drugs, as when ingested they affect the functioning of both ] and ].{{Fact\|date=September 2007}}

	==Medication==		==Medication==