Drugs are classified according to the effects they produce. There are medicines to ease the pain, fight infections, improve breathing or prevent disease.

The medicamentes are chemical compounds whose main component is the one that produces the curative effect sought and called substance or active ingredient.

Analgesics

Painkillers are those medicines which are intended to eliminate or alleviate pain. They are used for example to calm a headache or eliminate discomfort of any kind as the flu.

One of the active ingredients which acts as an analgesic is paracetamol. It was discovered in 1889, but the discovery of their properties and putting up for sale not arrive until the fifties. Paracetamol and substance of the same type are normally sold without a prescription.

Antibiotic

These are the drugs used to combat and eliminate bacterial infections. Alexander Fleming in the first half of the twentieth century discovered the first antibiotic, penicillin.

This discovery changed the history of medicine and managed to save many lives. That meant the antibiotic cure many deadly infectious diseases so far as tuberculosis. Although in theory require a prescription, many of them are sold without it.

Vaccine

It is a small amount of virus or bacteria that are administered to a person so that the body learns to defend them. A vaccine is composed of cells capable of generating antibodies that cause a response from defense in the body, which will be remembered by the body.

The eradication of many infectious diseases has been achieved by vaccination of the population. Children from birth are subjected to a vaccination schedule in order to avoid contracting diseases such as measles, hepatitis or poleomelitis.

The duration of the effects of some vaccines is maintained over a lifetime, but there are others that need renewing every certain period of time such as tetanus that should be every 10 years.

Recently, there has developed a vaccine against human papilloma virus. This is a sexually transmitted disease that causes lesions that eventually may become a cancer of the uterus. They usually purchased under medical prescription.

Antiseptic

Those medicinal compounds used to disinfect, ie to eliminate viruses, bacteria or for example on the skin. It is normally applied on the wounds to prevent them from spreading infectious agents.

Among the best known are antiseptic alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. They are used in all surgical procedures to prevent the occurrence of infections. You do not need a prescription to buy them.

Types of anti-inflammatories

There are two types depending on whether or not containing steroids. Those that do not contain are called non-steroidal antiinflamarorios or NSAIDs.

Those steroids are steroids. The effects of these drugs are much more powerful, but its consequences for health are also greater.

Antiinflamatorio not Steroid

The anti-inflammatories are used to reduce inflammation, pain-relieving and fever down. His discovery dates back to the second half of the nineteenth century, when several investigations after it was up for sale in 1899 acetylsalicylic acid in the hands of Bayer laboratories.

Currently used many other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or naproxen. They usually given for the elimination of muscle pain or to lower the fever. They often sold without a prescription.

Antiinflamatorio Steroid

They are the coriticosteroides or steroids. These hormones present in the human body, but artificially produced are used as medicines.

They are very powerful anti-inflammatories. Some of them are used to act urgently on the crisis by removing the respiratory airway inflammation.

They are also used to act against one's own immune system in the case of autoimmune diseases. You need a prescription to buy them.

Antihistaminico

These drugs are used to reduce the effects caused by allergic reactions such as sneezing, itching and swelling of eyes. Their modus operandi is to stop the effects of histamine, which is generated in these cases.

Some of the active ingredients are effective antihistamine ebastina or fexofenadina. As a side effect of many antihistamines this sleepiness they produce. It depends on the case, but many of them can be purchased without a prescription.

Anestesico

The medicinal compounds used to provoke insensibilización of one or more body parts. There are general anesthesia exercising their effects throughout the body and cause a state of unconsciousness in the patient.

Other painkillers operating in localized areas as those used to extract a tooth. Cocaine, for example, was used as a local anesthetic to be discovered its side effects. To buy a prescription is required.

Antidepressant

It is a drug used to combat the symptoms caused by depression. Normally taken in tablet form for a long time, because not exert their effects immediately.

They were discovered in mid-twentieth century, while trying to treat tuberculosis. They must be prescribed and can generate dependency. Only available with a prescription.

Diuretico

Diuretics are drugs that aim to promote urine output. Diuretics are also considered other non-medicinal substances that produce the same effect as some infusions.

Among the active ingredients with diuretic effect is adding metolazone. In many cases these drugs are prescribed to reduce blood pressure or prevent fluid retention. Many of them can be purchased without a prescription.

Laxative

These drugs are used to promote intestinal transit and help the expulsion of waste. As in the case of diuretics, there are no meals or drinks medicated that have the same effect as certain fruit.

They are known for example that apply in the form of a suppository. The use of these drugs is often due to the presence of constipation problems. Most can be purchased without a prescription.

Broncodilatador

These are drugs that dilate or increase the size of the airways in order to facilitate the process of respiration. They are often used by people with asthma to ease breathing difficulties caused by the narrowing of the channels through which must pass the air.

They usually administered in the form of inhalers. Many of them have immediate effect and are applied in the moments in which the breathing difficulties. Many of them can be purchased without a prescription.

Antipiretico

These are the drugs used to reduce fever or body temperature. The paracetamol and aspirin have besides analgesic effects, antipyretic effects.

There is a fever when the body temperature is higher than 37 º. It is a sign of the presence of infectious agents, as the temperature rises, because the body tries to defend them. It is usually necessary to purchase a prescription.

Antifungico

It is a class of drugs designed to combat infections caused by fungi developed on the outside or inside of the human body.

Some of the best-known active substances used for this purpose are miconazole and fluconazole. In many cases are presented in the form of creams that are applied directly onto the skin, if the infection is there.

But given in tablets. La mayoría se venden sin necesidad de presentar ninguna receta médica. Most are sold without presenting any prescription.