Drug Name Trick

Now that we have discussed the main antibiotic classes, let’s learn some tricks to remember the
information!

The first trick will help you remember the drug names within each antibiotic class as most of the
medications share similar prefixes and/or suffixes.

**While this trick applies to most drug names within each class there may be a few exceptions.

Aminoglycosides = end in “mycin”

Cephalosporins = begin with “cef/ceph”

Tetracyclines = end in “cycline”

Penicillins = end in “cillin”

Sulfonamides = begin with “sulfa”

Fluoroquinolones = end in “floxacin”

Macrolides = end in “thromycin”

Carbapenems = end in “penem”

Lincosamides = end in “mycin”

Glycopeptides = end in “in/mycin”

Aminoglycosides, lincosamides, and glycopeptides can all end in “mycin” so be careful with
those.

Image: Use the above trick to remember the drug names in each antibiotic class.

Mechanism of Action Trick

Lastly, there is a trick to remember the mechanism of action of each class.

There are 4 main mechanisms of action:

1. Inhibition of folate synthesis

2. Inhibition of DNA replication/synthesis
3. Inhibition of protein synthesis
 4. Inhibition of cell wall synthesis

Inhibit Folate Synthesis

Sulfonamides are the main class to inhibit folate synthesis.

This can be remembered because both sulFOnamide and FOlate contain “FO”.

Inhibit DNA Replication

Fluoroquinolones are the main class to inhibit DNA replication/synthesis.

Think of quintuplets as having identical copies of DNA (DNA replication).

Use the “QUIN” in fluoroQUINolones and QUINtuplets to help you remember DNA replication
inhibition.

Inhibit Protein Synthesis

Macrolides, aminoglycosides, lincosamides, and tetracyclines all inhibit protein synthesis.

Use the acronym “MALT” and think of malt powder that is sometimes found in “protein”
shakes.

This will help you remember Macrolides, Aminoglycosides, Lincosamides, and Tetracyclines
(MALT) inhibit protein synthesis.

Inhibition Cell Wall Synthesis

Lastly, through process of elimination the final 4 antibiotic classes inhibit cell wall synthesis:
cephalosporins, penicillins, carbapenems, and glycopeptides.

Aminoglycosides = Inhibit protein synthesis “MALT”

Cephalosporins = Inhibit cell wall synthesis

Tetracyclines = Inhibit protein synthesis “MALT”

Penicillins = Inhibit cell wall synthesis

SulFOnamides = Inhibit FOlate synthesis = “FO”

FluoroQUINolones = Inhibit DNA replication = QUINtuplets

Macrolides = Inhibit protein synthesis “MALT”

Carbapenems = Inhibit cell wall synthesis

Lincosamides = Inhibit protein synthesis “MALT”

Glycopeptides = Inhibit cell wall synthesis