"Decoding Drug Nomenclature: Understanding Prefixes and Suffixes in Pharmaceutical Terminology"

Pharmaceuticals play a crucial role in modern medicine, and a clear understanding of drug names is essential for healthcare professionals and patients alike. However, many drug names can seem like a foreign language to the uninitiated. That's where prefixes and suffixes come in. These linguistic components provide valuable information about the origin, composition, and purpose of a drug. In this blog, we'll explore the most common drug prefixes and suffixes, demystifying their meanings and helping you to make sense of those confusing pharmaceutical labels. So whether you're a student studying pharmacology, or simply someone who wants to have a better understanding of their medication, this guide is for you.

STEM	DEFINITION OR CLASS	EXAMPLES
-ac	NSAID (acetic acid derivatives)	bromfenac, dexpemedolac
-adol-	Mixed opiate receptor agonists/antagonists	levonantradol, spiradoline, tazadolene
-afil	Inhibitor of PDE5 with vasodilator action	sildenafil (viagra), tadalafil
-alol	Combined alpha and beta blockers	labetalol, medroxalol
-andr-	Androgens	nandrolone
-anib	Angiogenesis inhibitors	Pazopanib, Vandetanib
-anserin	Serotonin 5-HT (sub) 2 receptor antagonists	altanserin, tropanserin
-arabine	Antineoplastics	fludarabine
-ase	Enzymes	alglucerase, dornase alfa
-atadine	Tricyclic anti-asthmatics	olopatadine, loratadine
-axine	Antianxiety, antidepressant	venlafaxine
-azenil	Benzodiazepine receptor agonists/antagonist	bretazenil, flumazenil
-pam	Anti-anxiety	lorazepam, diazepam
-azepide	Cholecystokinin receptor antagonists	devazepide
-azocine	Narcotic antagonists/agonists	quadazocine, ketazocine
-azoline	Antihistamines/local vasoconstrictors	antazoline
-azosin	Antihypertensives	doxazosin
-bactam	Beta-lactamase inhibitors	sulbactam
-bamate	Tranquilizers/antiepileptics	meprobamate, felbamate
-barb-	Barbituric acid derivatives	phenobarbital, secobarbital
-bersat	Anticonvulsants; antimigraine	carabersat; tidembersat
-bufen	NSAID	indobufen
-butan	Antiseptics	dapabutan, lopbutan
-zone	Anti-inflammatory analgesics	mofebutazone
-caine	Local anesthetics	lidocaine, dibucaine
-carbef	Antibiotics	loracarbef
-cillin	Antibiotics	ampicillin, penicillin
-cog	Blog coagulation factors	eptacog alfa, nonacog alfa, octocog alfa
-zole	Antifungals	fluconazole, oxiconazole
-cort-	Corticosteroid	hydrocortisone
-curium	Neuromuscular blocking agents	atracurium
-cyline	Antibiotics (tetracycline type)	minocycline, tetracyline

-dralazine	Antihypertensives	hydralazine
-dronate	Calcium metabolism regulators	etidronate, tiludronate
-ectin	Antiparasitics	doramectin, moxidectin
-erg-	Ergot alkaloid derivatives	pergolide
-ide	Diuretics	bumetanide, furosemide
-fenamic	Anti-inflammatory	mefenamic acid, flufenamic acid
-fentanil	Narcotic analgesics	alfentanil, mirfentanil
-fibrate	Antihyperlipidemics	bezafibrate
-flurane	Inhalation anesthetics	enflurane, isoflurane
-gest-	Progestins	megestrol
-giline	MAO-inhibitors	selegiline
-gillin	Antibiotics	mitogillin
-gliptin	Antihyperglycemics	vildagliptin
-glitazar	Antihyperglycemics	farglitazar
-flizatone	Antihyperglycemics	ciglitazone, rosiglitazone
-grel-	Platelet aggregation inhibitor	clopidogrel, ticagrelor
-imex	Immunostimulants	forfenimex, roquinimex
-imus	Immunosuppressives	tacrolimus, napirimus, gusperimus
-irudin	Anticoagulants	desirudin
-leukin	Interleukin-2 derivatives	teceleukin, aldesleukin
-lukast	Leukotriene antagonists	montelukast, zafirlukast
-mab	Monoclonal antibodies	capromab, daclizumab, detumomab
-mantadine	Antivirals	rimantadine
-milast	Antiasthmatics/antiallergics	piclamilast
-monam	Monobactam antibiotics	gloximonam
-mustine	Antineoplastics	carmustine
-mycin	Antibiotics	lincomycin
-olol	Betablockers	timolol, atenolol
-one	Steroids	minaxolone, prednisolone
-orphan	Narcotic antagonists/agonists	methrorphan, dextrorphan
-oxacin	Antibiotics	dilfoxacin, ciprofloxacin
-oxetine	Antidepressants	duloxetine, reboxetine
-pamide	Diuretics	adipamide

-pamil	Coronary vasodilators	tiapamil
-parin	Heparin derivatives	heparin, tinzaparin, dalteparin
-peridol	Antipsychotics	haloperidol
-peridone	Antipsychotics	risperidone, iloperidone
-pidem	Hypnotics/Sedatives	zolpidem, alpidem
-piridine	Cognition enhancers	linopiridine, besipiridine
-poetin	Erythropoietins	epoetin alfa, epoetin beta
-pramine	Antidepressants	lofepramine
-prazole	Proton-pump inhibitor	omeprazole, lansoprazole
-pred-	Prednisone derivatives	prednicarbate, cloprednol
-pril	Antihypertensive	captopril, lisinopril, enalapril
-profen	Anti-inflammatory/analgesics	flurbiprofen, ibuprofen
-prost-	Prostaglandin analogue	latanoprost, unoprostone
-rubicin	Antineoplastic antibiotics	epirubicin, idarubicin
-sartan	Angiotensin II receptor antagonists	losartan, eprosartan, irbesartan
-statin	HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors	atorvastatin, fluvastatin, lovastatin
-one	Steroids	testosterone
-sulfa	Antibiotics	sulfasalazine
-tegrast	Antiasthmatics/antiallergics	Valategrast
-terol	Bronchodilators	albuterol
-thiazide	Diuretics	chlorothiazide, hydrochlorothiazide
-tide	peptides and glycopeptides	Nesiritide, Octreotide
-tocin	Oxytocin	Oxytocin, pitocin
-trexate	Antimetabolites	methotrexate
-triptyline	Antidepressants	amitriptyline
-uracil	Thyroid antagonist and antineoplastic	fluorouracil
-zolast	Antiasthmatics	eclazolast, ontazolast
cef-	Cephalosporins	cefazolin
estr-	Estrogens	estrone
-vir	Antiviral	viroxime, acyclovir, oseltamivir