What is Medicines?

I. DEFINITION OF MEDICINE

              Medicine is any substance or combination of substances presented as having properties for treating, prevention disease or medical diagnosis in human being with the view of physiological functions modifying by exerting pharmacological effects.

                       

II. TYPES OF MEDICINE

              Medicines are categorized into two types- Prescription medicines and Over the Counter medicines (OTC). Prescription medicines are
the medicines which can be addictive, easily abused or unsafe. The medication is under the supervision of a prescriber. OTC medicines, medicines that are safe and effective for use by general public without prescription. Chewable antacid, first line analgesic and multivitamins are some of the example of OTC medicines.

III. USES OF MEDICINE

            Medicines are used in many others following aims:

                Promote healing

                 Cure disease

                 Control or slow the progression of disease

                 Prevent disease

                 Make diagnosis

                 Decrease risk of complications

                 Increase comfortable level

                 Reduce the physiological function in the body

IV. SOURCES OF MEDICINE

              Any chemical substance taken into the body for purpose of affecting the body function is referred to as a medicine. In earlier time, these substances sometime were found in nature accidentally. There are 5 main resources of medicines: Plants, Minerals, Animals, Micro-organisms, and Chemical synthetic.

            Plants were the primary source of medicines used on the body. Berries, bark, leaves, resin from trees and roots were found to aid the body and still very important drug source today. Minerals from the earth and soil also found their way into human use as medicines. Iron, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and even gold are some of the minerals used to prepare drugs. More sophisticated sources of medicines emerged as human beings progress. Research led to use of substances from animals as effective drugs. Substances lacking in the human body can be replaced with similar substances from glands, organs, and tissues of animals. Finally, chemists use synthetic sources to make medicines to market for human consumption. The synthetic (manufactured) sources evolved with human skills in laboratories and advanced understanding of chemistry. Medicine compounds are produced from artificial rather than natural substances. This method is probably the most actively pursued new sources of medicines by major companies today.

References: Essential Pharmacology for Health Occupations, 5TH EDITION,  RUTH WOODRAW