September 1, 2017 (Vol. 37, No. 15)
Rating:
Strong Points: Nicely designed, lots of information
Weak Points: Brief descriptions given
Platform:
iPad/iPhone/Android
Cost:
Free
Summary:
As our understanding of the mechanisms of action for older psychotropic medications has grown, the existing nomenclature for those drugs has become obsolete and confusing. The mission of the Neuroscience-Based Nomenclature (NbN) taskforce, therefore, is to update the pharmacological nomenclature for medications with CNS indications so that they are more informative for physicians and patients alike. The results of those efforts are included in the NbN app, now in its second edition. The app, which prompts the user to enter a search term on the home screen, is easy to use and bears a modern, sleek appearance. Users can choose from among six search axes for their queries: name of drug, pharmacology, mode of action, approved indications, efficacy and side effects, and former terminology. These six descriptors accompany each drug entry, in addition to a section called “practical notes” that conveys additional medical information and a neurobiology section that elaborates on the biological mechanism of action of the drug.
