{ "vercy": "1.0-draft", "publication": { "status": "research-draft", "adjudicationStatus": "unreviewed", "publishableCanonical": false, "generatedAt": "2026-09-14T01:19:28Z", "providers": [ "Claude" ], "breadth": "written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify", "pass": 2, "wave": 4, "engine": "claude", "enrichment": { "pass": 3, "engine": "claude", "producedAt": "2026-10-06T11:00:00Z", "ingestedAt": "2026-10-06T07:43:17+00:00", "fields": [ "agent_conduct", "ethics", "owners" ] }, "revisions": [ { "at": "2026-10-06T22:48:34+00:00", "engine": "codex", "fields": [ "definition", "visual_identification" ], "answering_review": "1f5105a6380b86984baa9107677abf429f7236ef4f3a4ce2c17cfca4bf1581eb" } ], "gate": { "passed": true, "version": "1.0", "at": "2026-10-07T10:10:30+00:00", "evidence": [ "completeness 1.00", "sense: Wikidata description", "2 live sources", "review by codex: pass" ] } }, "metaModel": { "id": "THING-Q3271540", "registryId": "vr.tr.mechanism-of-action", "name": "mechanism of action", "version": "0.2.0-wave.4", "entryKind": "thing", "family": "Thing Registry", "domain": [ "ACT.ACT" ], "status": "research-draft" }, "canonicalUrl": "https://ver.cy/models/thing/q3271540/", "model": { "registry_id": "vr.tr.mechanism-of-action", "name": "mechanism of action", "purpose": "Let an agent explain mechanism of action, relay target types and examples from pharmacology sources, describe the named drug classes and note that they are classes rather than mechanisms, route medicine questions to professionals, and distinguish mechanism of action from mode of action, pharmacokinetics, therapeutic indication and drug class.", "definition": "In pharmacology, mechanism of action is the specific biochemical interaction through which a drug produces its pharmacological effect, such as binding to a receptor, inhibiting an enzyme, blocking an ion channel or damaging DNA, often described at the level of a molecular target. Registry aliases include class labels rather than mechanisms themselves: alkylating agents, nitric oxide donors, viral fusion inhibitors and antidiuretic hormone receptor antagonists or vaptans describe mechanistic groupings, whereas peptidomimetics are defined by resemblance to peptides and aversive agents by deterrent function, neither necessarily sharing a mechanism. Understanding mechanisms supports drug design and predictions about side effects and interactions, but some mechanisms are incompletely known, and questions about specific medicines should go to pharmacists or doctors.", "what_it_is_for": "Explaining how substances produce effects.", "affordances": [ "explain the concept", "relay target types", "describe named drug classes", "route medicine questions" ], "distinguishing_features": [ "Molecular target level", "Predicts effects and interactions", "Basis of drug classification", "Sometimes unknown" ], "appearance": "Not a physical object; described in pharmacology texts and drug labels.", "visual_identification": [ "A mechanism of action describes a biochemical interaction producing a drug's pharmacological effect.", "Alkylating agents, nitric oxide donors, viral fusion inhibitors and antidiuretic hormone receptor antagonists are class labels related to mechanisms.", "Peptidomimetics are defined by resemblance to peptides and aversive agents by deterrent function, so neither label necessarily identifies a shared mechanism.", "Mode of action describes broader functional change, pharmacokinetics covers absorption and elimination, indications are uses, and drug classes group drugs." ], "physical_properties": [ { "quantity": "major target types", "typical_range": "receptors, enzymes, ion channels, transporters", "unit": "list", "note": "" }, { "quantity": "nitrogen mustard chemotherapy", "typical_range": "1940s", "unit": "note", "note": "first alkylating agents" }, { "quantity": "enfuvirtide approval", "typical_range": "2003", "unit": "year", "note": "first HIV fusion inhibitor, as reported" } ], "families_and_kinds": [ "receptor agonism and antagonism", "enzyme inhibition", "ion channel modulation", "transporter inhibition", "DNA damage" ], "related_models": [ { "relation": "is a kind of", "target": "pharmacologic action", "why": "in registry terms" }, { "relation": "is contrasted with", "target": "mode of action", "why": "" }, { "relation": "is contrasted with", "target": "pharmacokinetics", "why": "" }, { "relation": "classifies", "target": "alkylating agent", "why": "drug class alias" } ], "identifiers": [], "standards_and_regulation": [ "Drug labelling requirements for clinical pharmacology sections", "ATC classification", "MeSH pharmacologic action terms" ], "failure_modes_and_hazards": [ "Giving individual medicine advice", "Treating classes as mechanisms", "Overstating certainty about mechanisms" ], "in_scope": [], "out_of_scope": [], "characteristics": [], "agent_conduct": { "may": [ "Explain how a drug class works from pharmacology sources, naming them.", "Note when a mechanism is unknown or only proposed.", "Distinguish mechanism of action from clinical effect and safety." ], "must_not": [ "Recommend a drug, dose or combination for a particular person based on its mechanism.", "Present a proposed mechanism as established.", "Use mechanism explanations to help design or improve harmful substances.", "Present a mechanism as proof that a product works or is safe." ], "requires_human": [ "Using mechanism reasoning to change a patient's treatment." ] }, "ethics": { "considerations": [ "Mechanistic stories can make unproven treatments look scientific.", "Patients rely on accurate explanations to understand their medicines." ], "affected_parties": [ "Patients", "Prescribers and pharmacists", "Students" ] }, "owners": { "steward": "Nobody owns the concept; drug regulators review the evidence for each medicine.", "master_systems": [] } }, "sources": [ { "id": "wikidata", "title": "Wikidata item Q3271540: mechanism of action", "url": "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3271540", "url_status": "live", "what_it_supports": "identity and sense of the item", "checked_by": "wikidata-api" }, { "id": "wikipedia-en", "title": "Wikipedia: Mechanism of action", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanism_of_action", "url_status": "live", "what_it_supports": "general description of the item", "checked_by": "wikidata-api sitelink" } ], "structure": { "bundles": [ { "id": "understand", "name": "Understand", "description": "What a mechanism of action is.", "rationale": "Science.", "layers": [ { "id": "definition", "name": "Definition", "description": "Definition.", "findings": [ { "id": "definition-finding", "name": "Definition", "description": "Definition.", "questions": [ { "text": "What is a mechanism of action, and how does it differ from mode of action, pharmacokinetics, indications and drug classes?", "kind": "definition" }, { "text": "Is someone asking about their own medicines or side effects, in which case a pharmacist or doctor should advise?", "kind": "boundary" } ] } ] }, { "id": "classes", "name": "Classes", "description": "Named classes.", "findings": [ { "id": "classes-finding", "name": "Classes", "description": "Classes.", "questions": [ { "text": "What are alkylating agents, NO donors, fusion inhibitors, vaptans, peptidomimetics and aversive agents?", "kind": "definition" }, { "text": "Which entry fits the specific class?", "kind": "action" } ] } ] } ] }, { "id": "targets", "name": "Targets", "description": "Targets.", "rationale": "Science.", "layers": [ { "id": "receptors", "name": "Receptors", "description": "Receptors.", "findings": [ { "id": "receptors-finding", "name": "Receptors", "description": "Receptors.", "questions": [ { "text": "How do agonists and antagonists act on receptors?", "kind": "provenance" }, { "text": "Which references are standard?", "kind": "provenance" } ] } ] }, { "id": "enzymes", "name": "Enzymes", "description": "Enzymes and channels.", "findings": [ { "id": "enzymes-finding", "name": "Enzymes", "description": "Enzymes.", "questions": [ { "text": "How do enzyme inhibitors and channel blockers work?", "kind": "provenance" }, { "text": "Which sources are cited?", "kind": "provenance" } ] } ] } ] }, { "id": "development", "name": "Development", "description": "Drug development.", "rationale": "Regulation.", "layers": [ { "id": "design", "name": "Design", "description": "Target-based design.", "findings": [ { "id": "design-finding", "name": "Design", "description": "Design.", "questions": [ { "text": "How is mechanism used in target-based drug discovery?", "kind": "provenance" }, { "text": "Which entry fits drug discovery?", "kind": "action" } ] } ] }, { "id": "labels", "name": "Labels", "description": "Drug labels.", "findings": [ { "id": "labels-finding", "name": "Labels", "description": "Labels.", "questions": [ { "text": "How are mechanisms described in official drug labels?", "kind": "provenance" }, { "text": "Is the information current?", "kind": "boundary" } ] } ] } ] }, { "id": "context", "name": "Context", "description": "Uncertainty.", "rationale": "Attribution.", "layers": [ { "id": "unknown", "name": "Unknown mechanisms", "description": "Unknown mechanisms.", "findings": [ { "id": "unknown-finding", "name": "Unknown mechanisms", "description": "Unknown mechanisms.", "questions": [ { "text": "Which widely used drugs have incompletely understood mechanisms, as pharmacologists report?", "kind": "provenance" }, { "text": "Is the presentation neutral and attributed?", "kind": "boundary" } ] } ] }, { "id": "aversive", "name": "Aversive agents", "description": "Bittering agents.", "findings": [ { "id": "aversive-finding", "name": "Aversive agents", "description": "Aversive agents.", "questions": [ { "text": "How are bittering agents such as denatonium used to deter accidental ingestion?", "kind": "provenance" }, { "text": "Which entry fits denatonium benzoate?", "kind": "action" } ] } ] } ] } ] }, "openQuestions": [ "The registry drug class aliases should be linked as classes rather than kinds of mechanism", "Should aversive agents be moved to product safety entries?", "How should MeSH pharmacologic actions be linked?" ], "statistics": { "bundles": 4, "layers": 8, "findings": 8, "questions": 16 } }