Types of Medicine
Medicines are chemicals that are used to treat, cure or prevent illness. They can
help you feel better and get better faster, and they may even save your life.
They’re divided into many different types theworldinsiders, depending on how they work and the
conditions they treat. Medications can be taken orally, topically, or in injections.
Oral medicines, such as tablets and capsules, start working once they enter your
digestive tract. Others, like topical treatments and injections, bypass the digestive
system and enter your bloodstream directly.

Capsules, or capsules containing powder, miniature pellets or liquid, are easier to
swallow than pills and can be more effective in some situations. They can also be
less expensive than tablets and are easier to store.
Tablets, or solid doses of medication, are usually the most common type of oral
medications. They contain the active pharmaceutical ingredient bound with a
coating that makes it difficult to dissolve in stomach acid.
Some pills are coated with a substance called polymer, which stops them from
dissolving in the stomach or getting into your bloodstream. They are the most
commonly used dosage form, and they are available in various shapes and sizes.
They can be found in pharmacies, hospitals, and health care clinics. They are usually
prescribed by a doctor and can cost from $2 to $20 per bottle.
Drugs are grouped into specific categories for safety and effectiveness reasons, so
you can find the right drug for your needs. Classification can help limit side effects,
predict your response to a drug and choose a replacement if it doesn’t work as well
as you thought. It also helps doctors decide which drugs to prescribe for you, and
how to mix them together if you have multiple illnesses.
There are more than 4,000 types of drugs in use around the world today. Thousands
more are being developed, and scientists are constantly discovering new ones.
These drugs come in a wide variety of forms and routes, and each one has its own
unique benefits and side effects. Some can treat disease by killing or halting the
spread of invading germs, while others help with normal body processes and replace
missing substances.

For example, antibiotics kill bacteria, and antihypertensives lower your blood
pressure. Other medicines can help ease breathing in people with asthma and open
bronchial tubes in the lungs in diseases such as emphysema.
They can also help reduce inflammation, which causes redness, heat, swelling and
increased blood flow in infections and certain chronic noninfective diseases. They
can even slow down the growth of cancer cells.
Other medicines help control pain, regulate blood glucose levels and keep your
immune system healthy. They can also protect you from some serious conditions,
such as high blood cholesterol.
In addition, some medicines can help you feel more comfortable by reducing nausea

and vomiting. They can also help you sleep or relieve headaches.
Ayurvedic medicines, or plant-based medicine, have been around in India for many
centuries. They are based on the sacred writings of the Vedas, which date back to
the 2nd millennium BC. The earliest texts of this ancient medical tradition describe
herbal medicines that can cure a variety of illnesses.