How do you find out more about how drugs and medications work and what side effects they might cause? What drug interactions should you be aware of? Here are a few starting points.
Searchable databases
Medline Plus: Drugs and Supplements page
You can search both medications and herbal and other supplements through this site, which is published by the US National Library of Medicine. Particularly helpful, the supplements area of the site provides a breakdown of how effective particular remedies are for specific disorders, and where they may not be so helpful. You can also search for interactions.
This site offers a search-by-name function so you can look up a drug by its generic or trade name. You can also check for potential drug interactions if you are taking multiple medications. The site also offers informational articles by the US Food and Drug Administration and other sources.
Drug Interaction Checkers
Multiple options are available online. Here are some I find useful.
Medscape Drug Interactions Checker
This is a fairly easy to use checker, and you can search by brand name or generic name.
WebMD Drug Interaction Checker
Note that you may have to use the generic name of a drug if the brand name has expired.
Drugs.com Drug Interaction Checker
Search by generic or brand name.
Ann MacDonald 