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DRUG NOMENCLATURE: SUFFIXES AND PREFIXES
Drug nomenclature is the systematic naming of drugs, especially pharmaceutical drugs.
Drug names are constructed from affixes (prefixes, interfixes, and suffixes) and stems (root words) that classify drugs into different categories.
Process: a chemical is investigated or refined into a form that will have therapeutic benefits and be patented. After years of testing, studies, and FDA scrutiny, it may then be allowed to be marketed.
Medication Naming Conventions
Every drug has three names:
- Chemical name: the molecular formula for the drug, such as 2-(4-isobutylphenyl) propanoic acid.
- Generic name: the common name for the chemical name, such as ibuprofen.
- Trade name: the proprietary company name as it will be marketed, such as Motrin. ("Ask your doctor if Lazarol is right for you.")
Patents are good for 20 years after the invention of a drug--not after the drug comes to market. It can easily take eight years for pharmaceutical companies to gather enough data to get approval for their new invention from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
EXAMPLE: In 1961, researchers discovered 2-(4-Isobutylphenyl) propanoic acid. They filed a patent for it in 1963, and one for ibuprofen was granted a few years later.
If the syllables in the chemical name, isobutylphenylpropanoic acid, are cherry-picked and slightly rearranged, the “i,” “bu,” “phen,” and “pro” are reassembled as i-bu-pro-fen.
Its patent expired in 1984, ending the pharmacy group’s monopoly. The prices for ibuprofen dropped, and today, one can buy the generic ibuprofen or any of its over 44 trade (brand) names, including Advil, Motrin, Equate, etc.
Drugs can go by trade names until the patent expires and generic versions of the drugs can be created. Benadryl would be a trade name, whereas diphenhydramine is its generic name. Generally, except in research and development, the chemical name is not used.
Prefixes for Drugs
| Prefix | Drug Type | Example(s) |
|---|---|---|
| cef- | Cephem-type antibiotics | cefazolin |
| chlor- | Chlorine-containing compounds | chlorpromazine |
| cyclo- | Cyclic compounds | cyclophosphamide |
| flu- | Fluorinated compounds | fluoxetine |
| hydro- | Hydrogenated compounds | hydrocodone |
| meth- | Methylated compounds | methotrexate |
| pred- | Prednisone and prednisolone derivatives | prednicarbate, cloprednol, oxisopred |
| sulfa- | Sulfonamide antibiotics | sulfamethoxazole |
| thio- | Sulfur-containing compounds | thiopental |
Interfixes for Drugs
| Interfix | Drug Type | Example(s) |
|---|---|---|
| -aldol- | Analgesics (mixed opiate receptor agonists/antagonists) | tazadolene, spiradolene, levonantradol |
| -andr- | Androgens | nandrolone |
| -barb- | Barbiturates | Phenobarbital, secobarbital |
| -estr- | Estrogens | estrone, fenestrel |
| -gest- | Progestins | megestrol |
| -grel- | Platelet aggregation inhibitor | clopidogrel, ticagrelor |
| -pred- | Prednisone and prednisolone derivatives | prednicarbate, cloprednol, oxisopred |
| -prost- | Prostaglandin analog | latanoprost, unoprostone |
| -prost | Prostaglandin derivatives | rioprostil, dinoprost |
Suffixes for Drugs
| Suffix | Drug Type | Example(s) |
|---|---|---|
| -ac | Anti-inflammatory agents (acetic acid derivatives) | bromfenac, dexpemedolac |
| -adox | Antibacterials (quinoline dioxide derivatives) | carbadox |
| -afil | Inhibitor of PDE5 with vasodilator action | sildenafil, tadalafil |
| -afilv | PDE5 inhibitors | tadalafil |
| -aldol- | Analgesics (mixed opiate receptor agonists/antagonists) | tazadolene, spiradolene, levonantradol |
| -aldrate | Antacid aluminum salts | magaldrate |
| -axine | Dopamine and serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor | venlafaxine |
| -bamate | Tranquilizers/antiepileptics (propanediol and pentanediol groups) | meprobamate, felbamate |
| -bersat | Anticonvulsants; antimigraine (benzoylamino-benzpyran derivatives) | carabersat, tidembersat |
| -caine | Local anesthetics | dibucaine |
| -cillin | Penicillin-derived antibiotics | penicillin, carbenicillin, oxacillin |
| -coxib | Cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors | celecoxib, parecoxib, valdecoxib |
| -cycline | Antibiotics (tetracycline derivatives) | minocycline |
| -fentanil | Narcotic analgesics (fentanyl derivatives) | alfentanil, mirfentanil, brifentanil |
| -formin | Hypoglycemics (phenformin type) | buformin |
| -gest | Progestins | megestrol |
| -ine | Chemical substance | atropine, quinine |
| -lukast | Leukotriene receptor antagonists | zafirlukast, montelukast |
| -mab | Monoclonal antibodies | trastuzumab, ipilimumab |
| -mycin | Antibiotics (Streptomyces strains) | lincomycin |
| -olone | Steroids (not prednisolone derivatives) | minaxolone |
| -onide | Topical steroids (acetal derivatives) | amcinonide |
| -oxacin | Quinolone-derived antibiotics | levofloxacin, moxifloxacin |
| -oxetine | Antidepressant related to fluoxetine | duloxetine, reboxetine |
| -parib | PARP inhibitor | olaparib, veliparib |
| -prazan | Acid pump inhibitors, not dependent on acid activation | omidaprazan |
| -prazole | Proton-pump inhibitor | omeprazole |
| -pred | Prednisone and prednisolone derivatives | prednicarbate, cloprednol, oxisopred |
| -pramine | Antidepressants (imipramine type) | lofepramine |
| -pressin | Vasoconstrictors (vasopressin derivatives) | desmopressin |
| -prost | Prostaglandin derivatives | rioprostil, dinoprost |
| -sartan | Angiotensin receptor antagonists | losartan, valsartan |
| -thiazide | Diuretics (thiazide derivatives) | chlorothiazide |
| -tide | Peptides and glycopeptides | Nesiritide, Octreotide |
| -tinib | Tyrosine-kinase inhibitors | erlotinib, crizotinib |
| -triptyline | Antidepressants (dibenzo[a,d]cycloheptane derivatives) | amitriptyline |