Drugs that share common structural features are classified on what basis?

Drugs that share common structural features are classified on the basis of chemical structure. This classification is important because it allows for the identification of relationships between different drugs, including their mechanism of action, efficacy, and even potential side effects. The structural characteristics of a drug can give insights into its interactions with biological targets, which is crucial in drug design and development.

Chemical structure serves as a fundamental organizing principle in pharmacology. For example, a class of drugs with a shared chemical skeleton may exhibit similar pharmacodynamic properties, enabling researchers and clinicians to predict how they might behave in biological systems. It also facilitates the understanding of how modifications to the structure can alter the drug's activity or toxicity.

While drug action, molecular targets, and pharmacological effects are also important considerations in the field of pharmacology, they do not specifically focus on the shared structural features that form the basis of this classification. Hence, the emphasis on chemical structure is what differentiates this classification approach from the others listed.