Groundbreaking medications that changed the world - Throughout the years, new diseases have emerged, prompting a rapid evolution of medicine. Luckily several drugs have been created and their impact in the world has been tremendous. Click on the gallery and get to know these life-changing drugs.

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Penicillin - It was one of medicine's greatest successes and a stepping stone that led to the development of several antibiotics. Penicillin is a treatment for various infections.

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Cyclosporine - Kidney, liver or heart transplants are complex procedures and cyclosporine was created to help suppress the immune system and facilitate the body's ability to accept the organ,

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Chlorpromazine - This drug was the first step in chemically treating mental illnesses.

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Aspirin - According to the online edition of CNN, this drug works as an analgesic and helps prevent heart attacks and cancer.

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Sildenafil - Commonly known as Viagra, this drug is an effective treatment for erectile dysfunction.

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Contraceptive pill - Contraceptive methods have been used for years, however, the pill is one of the most effective.

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Zidovudine or AZT - Along with protease inhibitors, this drug helps control HIV. The drug is also used to prevent the virus from being passed on to a fetus by an HIV-positive mother.

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Idoxuridine - This drug was developed to treat the herpes virus and has played a very important role in the later development of antiviral drugs against influenza and hepatitis.

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Arsphenamine - According to the Chemical & Engineering News, around 1910 there were several recorded cases of syphilis. It was then that Paul Ehrlich introduced arsphenamine, a drug that had a huge impact in modern medicine.

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Sleeping pills - Sleeping is extremely important for our bodies and minds. People who suffer from insomnia cannot sleep. Fortunately, these pills came to the rescue.

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Furosemide - According to the World Health Organization, this medicine is prescribed for patients with high blood pressure, heart failure and liver or kidney disease.

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Ether - Although it is no longer used in surgeries, ether was very important in the past and it helped to introduce new practices in medicine.

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Insulin - Prior to the discovery of insulin, patients with type 1 diabetes were forced to adhere to extreme diets and usually died after just a few months. Nowadays, diabetics can manage the disease and have a better quality of life.

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Digoxin - This drug is made from the digitalis plant and is used to treat irregular heartbeat and heart failure. Due to its harmful side effects, it is no longer used, however, it was an important step in the history of medicine.

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Capsules - The invention of the capsule revolutionized the way medications are administered to patients. In the past, when a medicine had a bad taste, people took them with a spoonful of honey.

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Levodopa - This drug continues to be important in treating Parkinson's disease.

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Methylphenidate - Children and adults who suffer from attention-deficit disorder may experience difficulty focusing in class and at work. This drug helps manage this.

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Cortisone - Cortisone is a natural steroid that has been used to treat diseases such as respiratory allergies, arthritis and Addison's disease.

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Morphine - This drug has helped many people endure a great deal of pain. However, the drug may also be misused and abused by some people.

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HIV protease inhibitors - Protease inhibitors are a class of antiretroviral drugs, which block reproduction of HIV cells and have been extremely important in the fight against the virus.

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Erythropoietin - Patients on dialysis may need several medications to remain healthy. When kidneys fail, they stop producing erythropoietin, which is given to them synthetically.

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Alprazolam - People who suffer from anxiety or depression started using this medicine. The drug is popularly known as Xanax.

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Chemotherapy - According to the American Cancer Society, chemo was discovered during World War II. Since then, researchers have found that chemotherapy drugs are most effective when given in combination.

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Humira (Adalimumab) - This medication is used to treat various diseases, such as arthritis, Crohn's disease and skin diseases.

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