MEDLINE (also known as Index Medicus): The premier bibliographic database of the NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE. MEDLINE® (MEDLARS Online) is the primary subset of PUBMED and can be searched on NLM's Web site in PubMed or the NLM Gateway. MEDLINE references are indexed with MEDICAL SUBJECT HEADINGS (MeSH).

NIH MeSH · D016239Information Science

MEDLINE

Also known asIndex Medicus

Definition

The premier bibliographic database of the NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE. MEDLINE® (MEDLARS Online) is the primary subset of PUBMED and can be searched on NLM's Web site in PubMed or the NLM Gateway. MEDLINE references are indexed with MEDICAL SUBJECT HEADINGS (MeSH).

MeSH classification

  • L01.313.500.750.280.710.500
  • L01.313.500.750.280.750.500
  • L01.313.500.750.300.188.300.650.500
  • L01.313.500.750.300.710.500
  • L01.313.500.750.300.742.650.500
  • L01.470.750.500.650.500

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Related concepts

MEDLARS

A computerized biomedical bibliographic storage and retrieval system operated by the NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE. MEDLARS stands for Medica…

Common questions about MEDLINE

What does MEDLINE mean in medicine?
The premier bibliographic database of the NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE. MEDLINE® (MEDLARS Online) is the primary subset of PUBMED and can be searched on NLM's Web site in PubMed or the NLM Gateway. MEDLINE references are indexed with MEDICAL SUBJECT HEADINGS (MeSH). This definition is taken from the National Library of Medicine's MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) 2026 release, which is the standard vocabulary used to index PubMed and most medical literature.
Is MEDLINE known by any other names?
Yes. MEDLINE is also referred to as Index Medicus in different clinical, research and patient-facing contexts. The MeSH descriptor groups all of these synonyms under a single canonical concept so research and records stay consistent.
Where does MEDLINE sit in the medical classification?
MEDLINE falls under the broader medical category "Information Science" in the MeSH hierarchy (tree numbers: L01.313.500.750.280.710.500, L01.313.500.750.280.750.500, L01.313.500.750.300.188.300.650.500). Browsing the related concepts on this page takes you to neighbouring topics in the same branch of medicine.
Where can I get a plain-language explanation of MEDLINE?
For a plain-language explanation of MEDLINE - including symptoms, treatments and what it means for an Indian patient - ask GoDavaii's Health AI. It works in 22+ Indian languages, is free and needs no signup. Tap "Ask GoDavaii AI about MEDLINE" above.

Source: NIH MeSH 2026 (D016239) — National Library of Medicine, public domain. View official MeSH record ↗