Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Serum
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Serum (Latin for “whey”) may refer to:
- Blood plasma, with clotting factors removed
- Serous fluid, any clear bodily fluid
- Truth serum, a general term for sedative drug or unspecified drug that is likely to make people tell truth or divulge information
- Medication, derived from an animal’s blood or serous fluid, often involving:
- Antibody, protein used by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign objects like bacteria and viruses
- Antivenom, biological product used in the treatment of venomous bites or stings
- Antiviral drug, used specifically for treating viral infections
- Antidote, substance which can counteract a form of poisoning
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements
The content on this page was first contributed by: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]