Pharmacy Terminology

root words for drug classes

-afil

-afil

phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor

-asone, cort

Corticosteroid

-bicin

antineoplastic cytotoxic agent

-bital

barbituate (sedative)

-caine

Local anesthetic

cef-, ceph-

Cephalosporin antibiotic

-cillin

penicillin antibiotics

-cycline

tetracycline antibiotic

-dazole

anthelmintic, antibiotic, antibacterial

-dipine

calcium channel blocker

-dronate

bisphospohonate, bone resorption inhibitor

-eprazole, -oprazole

Proton pump inhibitors (PPI)

-fenac, -profen

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS)

-floxacin

quinolone antibiotic

-gliptin

Antidiabetic, DPP-4 enzyme inhibitor

-glitazone

antidiabetic thiazolidinedione

-iramine

antihistamine

-lamide

carbon anhydrase inhibitor

-mab

monoclonal antibody

-mustine

alkylating agent (antineoplastic)

-mycin

antibiotic; antibacterial

-nacin

muscarinic antagonist (anticholinergic)

-nazole

antifungal

-olol

beta blocker

-olone, -onide, pred; pred-

corticosteroid

-olone

anabolic steroid

parin; -parin

anti-thrombotic, anticoagulant

-phylline

xanthine derivative (bronchodilator)

-pramine, -tyline

tricyclic antidepressant (TCA)

-pril

ACE inhibitor

-ridone

atypical antipsychotic

-sartan

angiotensin II receptor antagonist; ARB

-semide

loop diuretic (water pill)

-setron

serotonin 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, antiemetic and antinauseant

-statin

HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor; statins

sulfa-

antibiotic, anti-infective, anti-inflammatory

-tadine

antihistamine, antiviral, (anti-influenza-A)

-terol

beta agonist, bronchodilator

-thiazide

thiazide diuertic (water pill)

-tinib

Antineoplastic

-trel

female hormone (progestin)

tretin-, -tretin, tretin

retinoid; dermatologic agent, form of vitamin A

-triptan

antimigraine; selective 5-HT receptor agonist

vir, -vir

antivirals (HIV, hepatitis, herpes, influenza)

-vudine

antivial, nucleoside analogues

-zepam, -zolam

benzodiazepine

-zodone

antidepressant

-zosin

alpha blocker