Drug name prefixes, roots and suffixes collected by Elham Khanlou1

Steroid -asone
labetalol, medroxalol Combined alpha and beta –alol
blockers

nandrolone Androgens –andr–

altanserin, tropanserin, Serotonin 5–HT(sub)2 –anserin

altanserin receptor antagonists

fludarabine Antineoplastics –arabine

(arabinofuranosyl
derivatives)

alglucerase, dornase alfa Enzymes –ase

lorazepam Antianxiety agents –azepam

(diazepam type)

doxazosin Antihypertensives (prazosin –azosin

type)

sildenafil, tadalafil Inhibitor of PDE5 with -afil

vasodilator action

labetalol, medroxalol Combined alpha and beta –alol

blockers

nandrolone Androgens –andr–

altanserin, tropanserin, Serotonin 5–HT(sub)2 –anserin

altanserin receptor antagonists

fludarabine Antineoplastics –arabine

(arabinofuranosyl
derivatives)

alglucerase, dornase alfa Enzymes –ase

lorazepam Antianxiety agents –azepam

(diazepam type)

doxazosin Antihypertensives (prazosin –azosin

type)

venlafaxine Dopamine and serotonin– -axine

norepinephrine reuptake
inhibitor[2]

1
Pharmacy Student, Class of 2019, Ardabil School of Pharmacy
meprobamate, felbamate Tranquilizers/antiepileptics –bamate

mofebutazone Anti–inflammatory –butazone

analgesics (phenylbutazone
type)

Phenobarbital, Barbiturates -barb-

secobarbital

dibucaine Local anesthetics –caine

fluconazole, oxiconazole Antifungals (miconazole –conazole

type)

hydrocortisone Cortisone derivatives –cort–

atracurium Neuromuscular blocking –curium

agents

minocycline Antibiotics (tetracycline –cycline

type)

fluconazole, oxiconazole Antifungals (miconazole –conazole

type)

hydrocortisone Cortisone derivatives –cort–

atracurium Neuromuscular blocking –curium

agents

minocycline Antibiotics (tetracycline –cycline

type)

penicillin, carbenicillin, Penicillin-derived

-cillin
oxacillin[8 antibiotics

cefazolin Cephem-type antibiotics

cef-
Cephalosporins

Ca channel blocker -dipin

hydrazine–phthalazines Antihypertensives -dralazin

pergolide Ergot alkaloid derivative -erg

estrone Estrogens -estr

bezafibrate Antihyperlipidemics –fibrate

enflurane, isoflurane Inhalation anesthetics –flurane

 Antidiabetic -gliptin

clopidogrel, ticagrelor Platelet aggregation -grel-

inhibitor[2]

megestrol Progestins –gest–

desirudin Anticoagulants –irudin

H2 antagonist -itidine

atropine, quinine chemical substance -ine

laxative -lax

zafirlukast, montelukast Leukotriene receptor -lukast

antagonists[2]

rimantadine Antivirals –mantadine

gloximonam Monobactam antibiotics –monam

carmustine Antineoplastics –mustine

lincomycin Antibiotics (streptomyces –mycin

strains)

trastuzumab,
ipilimumab
Monoclonal antibodies[2] -mab
capromab, daclizumab,
detumomab,
levofloxacin, Quinolone-derived -oxacin
moxifloxacin antibiotics
difloxacin, ciprofloxacin

latanoprost, Prostaglandin analogue -prost-

unoprostone

olaparib, veliparib PARP inhibitor -parib

macrolid -romycin

Nesiritide, Octreotide Peptides and glycopeptides -tide

H2 antagonist -tidin

erlotinib, crizotinib Tyrosine-kinase -tinib

inhibitors[2]
Aciclovir
viroxime, envirodyne, Antiviral drug[2] -vir
ganciclovir

Atorvastatin HMG-CoA reductase -vastatin

inhibitor[2]
lovastatin, simvastatin

apixaban, rivaroxaban Direct Xa inhibitor -xaban

natalizumab, humanized antibody[9] -zumab

bevacizumab

Chimeric antibody that

infliximab responds to more than one -ximab
antigen[2]

Benzodiazepine -zolam
Anti depresant -zodon