drug prefixes, roots, and suffixes
Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
These prefixes, roots, and suffixes apply only to generic names.
prefix, root, suffix
examples (generic names)
drug class or drug category
-afil
avanafil; sildenafil; tadalafil; vardenafil
phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor
-asone
betamethasone; dexamethasone; diflorasone; fluticasone;
mometasone
corticosteroid
-bicin
doxorubicin; epirubicin; idarubicin; valrubicin
antineoplastic; cytotoxic agent
-bital
butabarbital; butalbital; phenobarbital; secobarbital
barbiturate (sedative)
-caine
bupivacaine; lidocaine; mepivacaine; prilocaine; proparacaine
local anesthetic
cef-, ceph-
cefaclor; cefdinir; cefixime; cefprozil; cephalexin
cephalosporin antibiotic
-cillin
amoxicillin; ampicillin; dicloxacillin; nafcillin; oxacillin
penicillin antibiotic
cort
clocortolone; fludrocortisone; hydrocortisone
corticosteroid
-cycline
demeclocycline; doxycycline; minocycline; tetracycline
tetracycline antibiotic
-dazole
albendazole; mebendazole; metronidazole; tinidazole
anthelmintic; antibiotic; antibacterial
-dipine
amlodipine; felodipine; nifedipine; nimodipine; nisoldipine
calcium channel blocker
-dronate
alendronate; etidronate; ibandronate; risedronate
bisphosphonate; bone resorption inhibitor
-eprazole
esomeprazole; omeprazole; rabeprazole
proton pump inhibitor (PPI)
-fenac
bromfenac; diclofenac; nepafenac
NSAID
-floxacin
besifloxacin; ciprofloxacin; levofloxacin; moxifloxacin; ofloxacin
quinolone antibiotic
-gliptin
saxagliptin; sitagliptin; linagliptin
antidiabetic; inhibitor of the DPP-4 enzyme
-glitazone
pioglitazone; rosiglitazone; troglitazone
antidiabetic; thiazolidinedione
-iramine
brompheniramine; chlorpheniramine; pheniramine
antihistamine
-lamide
acetazolamide; brinzolamide; dorzolamide; methazolamide
carbonic anhydrase inhibitor
-mab
adalimumab; daclizumab; infliximab; omalizumab; trastuzumab
monoclonal antibody
-mustine
carmustine; estramustine; lomustine; bendamustine
alkylating agent (antineoplastic)
-mycin
azithromycin; clarithromycin; clindamycin; erythromycin
antibiotic; antibacterial
-nacin
darifenacin; solifenacin
muscarinic antagonist (anticholinergic)
-nazole
fluconazole; ketoconazole; miconazole; terconazole; tioconazole
antifungal
-olol
atenolol; metoprolol; nadolol; pindolol; propranolol; timolol
beta blocker
-olone
fluocinolone; fluorometholone; prednisolone; triamcinolone
corticosteroid
-olone
nandrolone; oxandrolone; oxymetholone
anabolic steroid
-onide
budesonide; ciclesonide; desonide; fluocinonide; halcinonide
corticosteroid
-oprazole
dexlansoprazole; lansoprazole; pantoprazole
proton pump inhibitor (PPI)
parin; -parin
dalteparin; enoxaparin; fondaparinux; heparin; tinzaparin
antithrombotic; anticoagulant (blood
thinner)
-phylline
aminophylline; dyphylline; oxtriphylline; theophylline
xanthine derivative (bronchodilator)
-pramine
clomipramine; desipramine; imipramine; trimipramine
tricyclic antidepressant (TCA)
pred; pred-
loteprednol; prednicarbate; prednisolone; prednisone
corticosteroid
-pril
benazepril; captopril; enalapril; lisinopril; moexipril; ramipril
ACE inhibitor
-profen
fenoprofen; flurbiprofen; ibuprofen; ketoprofen
NSAID
-ridone
iloperidone; paliperidone; risperidone
atypical antipsychotic
-sartan
candesartan; irbesartan; losartan; olmesartan; valsartan
angiotensin II receptor antagonist; ARB
-semide
furosemide; torsemide
loop diuretic (water pill)
-setron
alosetron; dolasetron; granisetron; ondansetron; palonosetron
serotonin 5-HT3 receptor antagonist
-setron
dolasetron; granisetron; ondansetron; palonosetron
antiemetic and antinauseant
-statin
atorvastatin; lovastatin; pitavastatin; pravastatin; rosuvastatin;
simvastatin
HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor; statins
sulfa-
sulfacetamide; sulfadiazine; sulfamethoxazole; sulfasalazine
antibiotic; anti-infective; anti-inflammatory
-tadine
cyproheptadine; desloratadine; loratadine; olopatadine
antihistamine
-tadine
amantadine; rimantadine
antiviral; anti-influenza-A
-terol
albuterol; arformoterol; formoterol; levalbuterol; salmeterol
beta agonist; bronchodilator
-thiazide
chlorothiazide; hydrochlorothiazide; methyclothiazide
thiazide diuretic (water pill)
-tinib
crizotinib; dasatinib; erlotinib; gefitinib; imatinib
antineoplastic (kinase inhibitor)
-trel
desogestrel; etonogestrel; levonorgestrel; norgestrel
female hormone (progestin)
tretin-; tretin;
-tretin
acitretin; alitretinoin; isotretinoin; tretinoin
retinoid; dermatologic agent; form of
vitamin A
-triptan
almotriptan; eletriptan; rizatriptan; sumatriptan; zolmitriptan
antimigraine; selective 5-HT receptor
agonist
-tyline
amitriptyline; nortriptyline; protriptyline
tricyclic antidepressant (TCA)
vir; -vir
abacavir; efavirenz; enfuvirtide; nevirapine; ritonavir; tenofovir
antiviral; anti-HIV
vir; -vir
adefovir; entecavir; ribavirin (along with interferon)
antiviral; anti-hepatitis
-vir
acyclovir; famciclovir; penciclovir; valacyclovir
antiviral; anti-herpes
-vir
cidofovir; ganciclovir; valganciclovir
antiviral; anti-CMV
-vir
oseltamivir; zanamivir
antiviral; anti-flu
-vudine
lamivudine; stavudine; telbivudine; zidovudine
antiviral; nucleoside analogues
-zepam
clonazepam; diazepam; flurazepam; lorazepam; temazepam
benzodiazepine
-zodone
nefazodone, trazodone, vilazodone
antidepressant
-zolam
alprazolam; estazolam; midazolam; triazolam
benzodiazepine
-zosin
alfuzosin; doxazosin; prazosin; terazosin
alpha blocker
prefix, root, suffix
examples (generic names)
drug class or drug category
