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) |