Physiological target

A "Physiological target" refers to a classification in pharmacology where a drug's effect is measured by its impact on a broad physiological process rather than its interaction with a specific molecular entity like a protein (Gaulton et al., 2017, ChEMBL Database). This category includes drugs that act through non-specific physical or chemical means, such as osmotic diuretics that alter fluid balance or antacids that neutralize gastric acid (Hill & Rang, 2012, Rang & Dale's Pharmacology). It is also used for substances whose exact molecular mechanism of action remains unknown or involves multiple, diffuse interactions across a system (Wishart et al., 2018, DrugBank). Because these targets are not discrete molecules, they do not possess traditional binding sites, making them difficult to study using standard structure-based drug design methods. Instead, their efficacy is typically monitored through systemic biomarkers like pH levels or fluid output. This classification is vital for cataloging therapeutic agents that fall outside the "one drug, one target" paradigm.

Other names

Unknown or diffuse physiological targetsNon-specific targetsDiffuse targetsPhysiological process target

Non-specific physical or chemical modulation of physiological processes, such as osmosis, pH neutralization, or adsorption (Rang et al., 2012).