The chemicals used to treat diseases and to reduce the suffering from pain are known as drugs or medicines. The chemicals used in chemotherapy are classified according to their action.
For example antipyretics are medicines used to lower the body temperature in high fever. The examples of antipyretics are para ethoxy acetamide and analgin.
Analgesics are medicines which relieve pain. They are of two types. (i) Narcotics are medicines which relieve pain by producing sleep and unconsciousness. They are morphine, morphine diacetate (heroin) and codeine. They are habit forming (ii) None narcotic analgesics are not habit forming and do not usually induce sleep. They are aspirin, brufen and butazolidine.
Antiseptics are medicines which kill or prevent the growth of micro-organisms. Antiseptics are also used to reduce odours arising out of bacterial decomposition on the surface of the body. They are 2% solution of phenol, dettol (a solution of terpineol and chloro-xylenol) savlon, bithional etc.
Tranquillizers are medicine used to relieve mental tension and an anxiety. They act on the nervous system and induce sleep. They may antidepressants (to elevate mood) such as methedrine and vitalin, sedatives (relieve mental agitation and violence) such as diazopam, seconal, luminal and equanil.
Antibiotics are medicines produced by micro-organisms such as fungi, bacteria and moulds and are used to kill other microorganisms. They are penicillin (Treat sore throat, bronchitis, pneumonia), streptomycin (active aginst tuberclosis, chloramphenicol treat typhoid, acute fever, urinary infection.
Which of the following compounds is aspirin ?
A. acetyl salicylic acid
B. Methyl salicylate
C. Phenyl salicylate
D. Salicylic acid
