Medicine (drug or remedy)

A substance or preparation used to prevent, diagnose, relieve, or treat illness. Medicines may act through biological effects, physical action, or replacement of substances the body lacks.

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Pharmacodynamics: The study of how drugs affect the body, including their targets, effects, and dose relationships. Describes the effects medicines produce after interacting with the body.
Active pharmaceutical ingredient: The component of a medicine responsible for its intended pharmacological effect. It is the therapeutic substance within a medicine’s formulation.
Vaccination: The administration of a vaccine to stimulate protection against an infectious disease. Vaccines are medicines used chiefly to prevent disease.
Herbal medicine: The use of plant-derived substances to prevent or treat health conditions. Plant preparations may be medicines, but their composition and evidence vary.
Adverse drug reaction: A harmful and unintended response to a medicine used at normal doses. Unwanted reactions are a central cost of medicinal treatment.
Pharmacokinetics: The study of how the body absorbs, distributes, metabolizes, and eliminates drugs. Explains how a medicine’s concentration changes over time.
Dosage form: The physical form in which a medicine is produced and administered, such as a tablet, capsule, or liquid. Form determines how a medicine is prepared for use.
Antibiotic: A substance that kills bacteria or inhibits their growth. Antibiotics treat bacterial infections, but not viral infections.
Dietary supplement: A product intended to supplement the diet with ingredients such as vitamins, minerals, or herbs. Supplements are not automatically medicines, even when marketed for health effects.
Drug interaction: A change in the effect of a drug caused by another drug, food, or substance. Interactions can alter a medicine’s effectiveness or toxicity.