Identify a medicine. Know what it's for.

Not sure what the pack says? Pick a word to see what it means. Then photograph the strip, bottle or box and see what the medicine is commonly used for, in plain words.

What does the pack say?

The part that does the work

Avoids doubling up

This is the substance that treats the problem. Two brands can hold the same active ingredient, so check before taking both.

Scan a medicine

What is this medicine for?

To find out what a medicine is for, read the active ingredient and strength on the pack, then check its common uses or ask a pharmacist. Saluvo reads them from a photo and lists common uses, how it's usually taken and cautions. It's a general guide, not the reason your doctor chose it.

On the pack

What do the words on a medicine pack mean?

A quick guide to the words you'll see on most packs, and why each one matters. Wording differs between countries, so if you're not sure, ask a pharmacist.

What do the words on a medicine pack mean?
On the packWhat it meansWhy it matters
Active ingredientThe part that does the workAvoids doubling up
Brand nameThe maker's name for itVaries by country
Strength, like 500 mgHow much is in each unitIt isn't your dose
Expiry dateThe last date to use itCheck before taking
Batch or lot numberA code for one production runUsed in recalls
Prescription onlyIt needs a prescriptionDon't share it
Take with foodWith a meal or snackCan ease stomach upset
Take on an empty stomachKeep it away from mealsTiming matters
Swallow wholeDon't crush or chew itProtects how it works
May cause drowsinessIt can make you sleepyTake care driving
Out of reach of childrenStore it out of sightPrevents accidents
Unknown pill, feeling unwellDon't wait. Get help nowNow

This is a general guide, not medical advice, and pack wording varies by country. For your own dose, or whether a medicine is right for you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Last updated 4 November 2026. Written by the Saluvo team, not yet reviewed by a doctor.

Why it exists

A pack gives you a name, not an explanation

There's an old strip in a drawer. A parent is home with a new prescription. The label on something you bought abroad isn't in your language. Looking it up name by name is slow, so we built a way to start from the pack in your hand.

  • 01

    Know what it is

    Saluvo reads the brand and the active ingredients with their strength, which is what a pharmacist or doctor will ask about.

  • 02

    Read it in your language

    It reads packs from any country and explains them in the language you pick, from 80+ languages.

  • 03

    Know what to ask

    Cautions cover who should take extra care and warnings like alcohol, written for you to raise with your pharmacist or doctor.

A phone held over a plain blister strip of pills.

It reads what's printed on the pack

Saluvo reads the brand, the active ingredients and their strength, the form, and the expiry date if it's printed. If the photo was hard to read, it tells you to check the name against the pack.

Scan a medicine
A calm shelf of plain, unlabelled bottles and boxes.

A medicine list for each person

Every scan is saved to the list of the family member it belongs to, so you have one place to see what a parent or child takes.

Scan a medicine
A weekly pill organiser in soft morning light.

From the card to a reminder in one tap

Tap Set a reminder on any medicine card. It opens with the name filled in, and you get it on WhatsApp at the times you choose.

Scan a medicine

How it works

  1. 1

    Photograph the pack

    Take a photo of the strip, bottle or box with the name and strength, like 650 mg, sharp and in frame.

  2. 2

    Saluvo reads the label

    It reads the brand name, the active ingredients and their strength, the form, and the expiry date if it's printed.

  3. 3

    See what it's for

    You get its common uses, how it's usually taken, common side effects, who should be careful, and whether it's a prescription medicine.

  4. 4

    Save it and set a reminder

    The medicine is saved to the list of the family member it belongs to, and one tap opens a reminder with its name filled in.

What a medicine identifier by photo does

You find a strip at the back of a drawer, a parent comes home with a new prescription, or you buy something abroad with a label you can't read. A medicine identifier lets you photograph the pack and find out what it is and what it's for, without searching name by name.

Saluvo's medicine scanner reads the printed label on a strip, bottle or box and gives you a short, plain card about that medicine.

How to scan a medicine to know its use

  1. Open the scanner and take a photo of the pack, or add one from your phone.
  2. Keep the name and the strength (like 500 mg) sharp, flat and in good light. If the strip is cut, photograph the part with the name printed on it.
  3. Read the card, then save it to the right person.

What you see on the card

  • Name: the brand as printed, plus the active ingredients and their strength.
  • Form: tablet, capsule, syrup, cream and so on.
  • Used for: the conditions it's commonly used for.
  • How it's usually taken: general guidance from the pack, like with food or swallowed whole. Never a personal dose.
  • Common side effects.
  • Be careful if: who should take extra care, and warnings such as alcohol.
  • Prescription medicine: a label when it usually needs a prescription.
  • Expiry: the date, when it's printed and readable.

Can I identify a pill without the packaging?

This is where honesty matters. Saluvo is built to read packs, not to match a loose tablet by its shape, colour or imprint. Many tablets look alike, and a guess could be dangerous. If you only have a loose pill:

  • Don't take it until you know what it is.
  • Take it to a pharmacist, who can check the imprint against a reference.
  • Read our pill identification guide for how imprint codes work and where to check a pill for free.
  • If someone has already swallowed an unknown pill and feels unwell, call your local emergency number or poison centre.

If Saluvo can't read a medicine name, it says so and your credits are returned.

What this medicine is for, and what it isn't

Knowing a medicine's common uses is not the same as knowing why it was given to you. A doctor may use the same medicine for a different reason, or at a different dose. Saluvo's card is a starting point for a conversation, never an instruction to start, stop or change a medicine.

Does it check drug interactions?

No. The scanner tells you general cautions for one medicine at a time. It doesn't compare everything a person takes. If you or a family member take more than one medicine, ask a pharmacist to check them together. You can also ask Saluvo's chat for questions to bring to that conversation.

From scan to reminder

Each scan is saved to the medicine list of the family member it belongs to, so you can keep track of what everyone takes. From any card, tap "Set a reminder" to open a reminder with the medicine's name filled in, then get it on WhatsApp at the times you choose.

What it costs

You need a free account to scan medicines. Confirm your email and you get 30 free credits. Each scan is charged at 3.5 times what it cost us, about 0.16 of a credit in Normal mode or about 1.1 in Pro, and nothing if the photo can't be read.

What it doesn't do

  • It reads printed packs. A loose tablet with no strip, bottle or box usually can't be identified reliably from shape or colour.
  • It doesn't check interactions between your medicines. Ask your pharmacist before combining them.
  • It never gives you a personal dose. Your dose is the one your doctor wrote.
  • It doesn't prescribe and it can't tell you whether a medicine is right for you.
  • It can misread a blurry, folded or worn label, so check the name against the pack.

Saluvo gives health information, not medical advice. Always talk to a qualified doctor about diagnosis and treatment.

You only pay when it can read the name

A scan costs about 0.16 of a credit in Normal mode, or about 1.1 in Pro. If Saluvo can't read the medicine name, or the scan fails, the credits are returned. New accounts get 30 free credits once the email is confirmed.

What credits buy

Plus

Everyday health questions for one person

$9/mo

350 credits every month

Each month, roughly

  • Chat message≈700
  • Lab report, double-checked≈175
  • Doctor search≈73
  • WhatsApp reminder≈350

Most popular

Pro

Daily care, reports and reminders

$19/mo

800 credits every month

Each month, roughly

  • Chat message≈1,600
  • Lab report, double-checked≈400
  • Doctor search≈167
  • WhatsApp reminder≈800

Family

Monthly care for the whole family

$49/mo

2,100 credits every month

Each month, roughly

  • Chat message≈4,200
  • Lab report, double-checked≈1,050
  • Doctor search≈440
  • WhatsApp reminder≈2,100

Plans renew every month by card. UPI isn't available for subscriptions: to pay with UPI, choose a one-time pack below.

Questions

Read more

More features

Know what a medicine is for, from one photo.

Scan a medicine