In the 18th century, J. Proust, one of the forefathers of modern chemistry, defined the concept of a chemical substance as any substance with a defined chemical composition. This section provides a classifications of all chemical substances, pharmacologically active molecules, biomolecules, additives for foodstuffs and those for feedstuffs, as well as any other substance used in the world of biotechnologies. The purpose of this section is to list all molecules identified by a CAS number or included in the Merck index.
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In this logic, a system based on biotechnologies was adopted. The classification includes both the products of cellular metabolism and substances that can be considered ingredients: |
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- alkaloids;
- amino acids;
- antimicrobials;
- glucosides and glycosides;
- lipids (waxes);
- nucleic acids;
- enzymes and co-enzymes;
- hormones;
- vitamins;
- nonenzymatic peptides;
- inorganic substances;
- organic acids;
- toxins and pesticides;
- steroids and terpenoids;
- vaccines;
- pigments;
- rubbers;
- alcohols;
- polymers;
- organic solvents (non-alcoholic);
- gases.