What branch of medicine studies drugs, including their composition and effects?

Pharmacology is the branch of medicine that focuses specifically on the study of drugs, including their composition, effects, mechanisms of action, and interactions with biological systems. It encompasses understanding how drugs work in the body, their therapeutic uses, potential side effects, and how they are metabolized and excreted. This discipline is integral to developing new medications and ensuring their effective and safe use in patient care.

In contrast, pharmacy primarily involves the practice of preparing and dispensing medications. While it requires knowledge of pharmacology, its focus is more on the application of this knowledge in a clinical setting rather than on the scientific study of drugs themselves. Toxicology, while related, specifically studies the harmful effects of substances, including drugs, rather than the broader spectrum of drug effects. Physiology studies the functions and mechanisms of the body systems and how they interact with each other, but it doesn’t focus exclusively on drug interactions or their effects.

Thus, pharmacology stands out as the correct choice for studying drugs comprehensively, from their chemical makeup to their impact on health.