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. 2023 Jun 15;11:1184882. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1184882

Table 3.

Categories of medicinal agents used for self-medication.

Drug class Names of specified medications in the studies
Prescription medicines and over-the-counter products
Antibiotics (n = 35) Amoxicillin, azithromycin, metronidazole, penicillin, cefixime, doxycycline, clindamycin, ciprofloxacin, and erythromycin
Analgesics and Antipyretics (n = 21) Diclofenac, acetaminophen/paracetamol, aspirin, ibuprofen, mefenamic acid, and ketoprofen
Antimalarial (n = 16) Chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, and artemisinin
Antihistamines (n = 12) Piriton, cetirizine, fexofenadine, desloratadine, chlorpheniramine, and famotidine
Anthelmintics (n = 12) Ivermectin
Cough syrup/suppressants (n = 9)
Antacids (n = 6)
Corticosteroids (n = 5) Dexamethasone
Sedative (n = 4)
Antivirus (n = 2) Remdisivir
Antithrombotic (n = 2) Aspirin and enoxaparin
Antiemetic (n = 2)
Laxatives (n = 2)
Traditional and complementary medicine
Herbs and natural products (n = 25) Lingzhi, Yinqiao Jiedu Pian, Radix Isatidis, Glycyrrhizae Radix Et Rhizoma, Chrysanthemi Flos, ginseng, red yeast rice, milk thistle, black cohosh, ginkgo biloba, oregano, aloe vera, rhodiola rosea, echinacea, curcumin, ashwagandha, ginger, honey, eucalyptus, cranberry, propolis, green tea, lemon, and garlic
Vitamins (n = 23) Vitamin C, vitamin B, vitamin D, vitamin E, and multivitamins
Dietary supplements (n = 19) Omega 3, 6 or 9 including cod liver oil, probiotics, glucosamine, melatonin, co-enzyme Q10, and protein drink/shake
Minerals (n = 17) Zinc, selenium, iron, magnesium, and calcium
Homeopathic remedies (n = 5)
Bach flowers remedies (n = 2)
Other
Chlorine dioxide (n = 3)