Progesterone is a hormone that can be made by the body or ingested in pill form. The American Pregnancy Association states that it is produced by the ovarian follicle in the earlier stages of pregnancy, and by the placenta after around week 10....
Chemo, short for chemotherapy, refers to medication given to cancer patients in an attempt to destroy cancerous cells in the body. Unfortunately, chemo drugs can also harm healthy cells, which can cause adverse effects during chemotherapy and...
Coumadin, also known as warfarin sodium, is a prescription anti-coagulant medication that aids in preventing blood clots, strokes and myocardial infarctions--heart attacks--in people who are at increased risk. Coumadin works as a blood thinner by...
Effexor is the brand name for venlafaxine in the United States, that is, a prescription antidepressant medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1993 for treating depression, generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder....
If insomnia is a problem for you, melatonin is a supplement you may consider taking to help your body rediscover the natural circadian rhythm it was meant to enjoy. Melatonin can be purchased in almost every grocery and drug store. It is a...
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), about 14 million Americans have problems with alcohol abuse or alcoholism. People with alcoholism have a physical...
Hydroquinone is an active ingredient in several skin creams that are used for depigmentation of melasma--pigmented areas--age spots and scars. This chemical compound is used in brand named skin ointments and creams including Claripel, Eldopaque,...
Ibuprofen is an oral analgesic and anti-inflammatory medication indicated for the alleviation of symptoms associated with fever, pain and inflammation. This medication is a member of a class of drugs called nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs...
Vytorin, a combination of ezetimibe and simvastatin, is a prescription medication to lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels. This medication decreases total and low-density lipoprotein, or LDL---the bad cholesterol---in two ways: it decreases...
Alpha-linolenic acid or ALA is an omega-3 fatty acid. Both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids cannot be made by the human body; therefore they are called essential fatty acids. According to Maggie B. Covington, M.D, clinical studies show that dietary...
Ganoderma lucidum is the scientific name for reishi mushrooms, fungi with a varnish-coated purplish-brown fruiting body. Like many other fungi, they grow on the decaying wood of dead trees, notes the University of Michigan. They have been used...
Vitamin D is a vital nutrient that supports bone health and immune function. It is present in foods such as fish, cod liver oil and milk, and is synthesized by the body through sun exposure. The Office of Dietary Supplements, or ODS, recommends a...
Celery -- scientific name Apium graveolens -- is a plant whose crisp green stalks are eaten both raw and cooked. Native to the Mediterranean region, it's been cultivated since ancient Greek times. Celery is a common component of weight-loss...
Caffeine helps to stimulate the central nervous system to make people feel temporarily alert. But it can cause unwanted side effects. Caffeine is an ingredient in coffee and many soft drinks, though even decaffeinated beverages can contain small...
Levothyroxine, marketed as Synthroid, is a thyroid hormone that can be used to treat hypothyroidism, states MedlinePlus. Patients deficient in thyroid hormone develop symptoms such as poor growth, fatigue, weight gain and slow speech. Synthroid...
Simvastatin belongs to the statin class of cholesterol-lowering medications. These drugs interfere with the body's ability to make new cholesterol, which then reduces cholesterol levels in the blood. Although these medications are very effective...
Atenolol, also known as Tenormin, is a prescription drug classified as a beta-blocker that is used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure), angina (chest pain) and myocardial infarction (heart attack). It is typically used in concert with...
Coumadin, or warfarin sodium, is an anticoagulant prescribed to treat or prevent blood clots as in the case of a stroke, myocardial infarction (heart attack) or status postsurgery. It also is used to keep clots from migrating to the lungs...
Arginine is a type of nonessential amino acid that may be used to treat cardiovascular disease, Drugs.com notes. Arginine can also be used to stimulate the release of insulin, and it helps insulin to metabolize glucose. Arginine may also be used...
Methadone is a powerful synthetic opiate used to treat moderate to severe pain. It also is considered the standard of treatment as an opiate replacement therapy for heroin addiction. It is about as strong as morphine, but lasts much longer,...
Aggrenox is the United States brand name of a combination of the generic drugs dipyridamole and aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid). Aggrenox is prescribed to help prevent the onset of a stroke. It functions by making your blood thinner to help avoid...
Radiation is used along with surgery and chemotherapy to treat cancer. It works by damaging the DNA inside a tumor cell so that the cell is unable to continue growing. According to the Life Extension Foundation website, at least half of all cancer...
Vitamin K, a fat-soluble vitamin, can be stored in fat tissue and the liver and occurs naturally in foods, particularly green leafy vegetables. Vitamin K may treat a deficiency caused by other medications and reduce the risk of bleeding in liver...
The Pausinystalia yohimbe tree contains an active component called yohimbine, which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved as a prescription drug. Yohimbe bark extract, in contrast, is available over the counter as a natural...
Some types of breast cancer rely on estrogen to grow and develop. Tamoxifen is a drug that blocks the effect of estrogen on certain tumors, preventing any further growth, according to Drugs.com. BreastCancer.org adds that this drug is very...
Alendronate is a prescription medication indicated to treat osteoporosis--a medical condition that results in the progressive deterioration of bone tissue. This medication, which is also sold under the brand name Fosamax, is part of a class of...
Depression medications, or antidepressants, are prescribed to treat the symptoms of depression. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inihibitors (MAOIs) are three types of depression...
The lidocaine patch is a prescription medication that is indicated for the alleviation of painful post-herpetic neuralgia symptoms--more commonly referred to as post-shingles pain. This medication is applied as a transdermal skin patch directly to...
Monosodium glutamate, also called MSG, is a type of food additive used to flavor and preserve certain types of food such as Chinese food, processed meat and soup. Although the FDA has declared MSG "safe," using this ingredient as a food additive...
Learn about setting up your bike chain in this free video clip.
Appetite stimulators, such as MSG, have an adverse effect on dieting. Learn how to diet without feeling hungry from a registered dietician in this video.
