| Term | Definition |
| Allergen | A substance (antigen) determining allergy (the term “allergy” being understood to mean an increase in sensitivity) |
| Antibody | Specific immunoglobin, the synthesis of which is triggered in the body by injection of an antigen, with which it combines to neutralise any toxic effect of the latter. |
| Asepsis | A preventive method that counteracts infections by preventing by appropriate means the introduction of germs into the body |
| Aseptic | Pertaining to asepsis |
| Bronchitis | Inflammation of the mucosa of the bronchi |
| Catalysis | Modification (particularly acceleration) of a chemical reaction under the action of a substance (catalyst) which undergoes no modification itself |
| Catalyst | As substance which, in a minute quantity in comparison to that of the reagents, results in catalysis [...] |
| Drainage | Operation intended to promote run-off of accumulated liquids |
| Enzyme | A substance of the nature of a protein substance, produced by a living being and capable, by its catalytic properties, of activating a specific chemical reaction |
| Epidemiological study | The study of the relationships existing between diseases and various different factors (lifestyle, environmental or social milieu, individual particularities) liable to exert an influence on their frequency, distribution and evolution |
| Histamine | Histamine is a chemical mediator; it is also involved in triggering allergic phenomena |
| Immunitary | Pertaining to immunity |
| Immunity | Property of a body to be resistant to certain pathogenic agents |
| Inflammation | “The set of reactional phenomena occurring at the point of irritation of a pathogenic agent " (G.H. Roger). It generally manifests itself by 4 symptoms: heat, pain, erythema and swelling |
| Laryngitis | Generic name for all acute or chronic inflammations of the larynx |
| Lithosphere | Name given to the solid part of the earth’s globe |
| Temporal lobe | Part of the hemisphere of the brain located near the temporal bone. It contains the hearing, taste and memory centres |
| Mucus | Transparent liquid, with a stringy appearance, produced by the mucus glands and serving as a protective coating on the surface of the mucosae |
| Mucosa | Membrane coating the cavities of the body, connected to the skin at natural orifices and lubricated by mucus secretions |
| Pituitary mucosa | Pertaining to the mucosa of the nasal fossae |
| Trace element | Chemical element, either metal or metalloid, present in very small quantities in living creatures and generally essential to metabolism. The main trace elements are: boron, chloride, cobalt, copper, iron, fluoride, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, vanadium and zinc |
| Organism | An individual, either animal or plant, formed of a specific number of parts of organs, but possessing its own life |
| Sphenoid bone | Bone forming the median portion of the base of the skull |
| Otitis | Name given to all acute or chronic inflammations of the ear |
| Pedicle | A structure, formed of vessels and nerves which connect an organ to other structures of the body and guarantee the latter’s function |
| Pollinic | Pertaining to pollen |
| Pollinoses | Set of pathological manifestations occurring on contact of pollen grains with a specifically sensitised mucosa (nasal, conjunctival, bronchial) e.g.: hay fever, asthma |
| Polyps | A tumor, fibrous or mucous growth, implanted on a pedicle |
| Pharmacological properties | Therapeutic properties |
| Rhinorrhoea | Discharge of liquid from the nose, without any inflammatory phenomena |
| Sedative | That which calms and moderates the exaggerated functional activity of an organ or apparatus |
| Sellar | Pertaining to the sella turcica |
| Sella turcica | Upper face of the body of the sphenoid bone, shaped like a saddle, accommodating the pituitary gland |
| Serous | Aqueous. Containing serum |
| Therapy | The part of medicine that deals with means capable of curing or providing relief to patients |
| Trophic | Pertaining to nutrition of tissues |
| Hypertonic | Solution having a salt concentration higher than that found in the human body cells, capable of taking off water by an osmotic effect. |
| Osmosis | Passive diffusion of water molecules until equilibrium, when two solutions having different salt concentrations are separated by a membrane. The membrane allows passage of the solvent (water) but not the dissolved substance (salts). |
