Common Medication Suffixes, Prefixes and Root Words

A complete list of medication suffixes, prefixes, and roots used to identify drug classes and therapeutic actions as found in the top $$200$$ medications and clinical references.

-afil

Phosphodiesterase-$5$ ($PDE- 5$) inhibitor

vasodilating medications to treat erectile dysfunction, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and benign prostatic hyperplasia

-asone

Corticosteroid

(severe inflammation, allergies, and autoimmune disorders)

-bicin

Cytotoxic agent (chemotherapy)

-bital

Barbiturate, sedative

-caine

Local anesthetic

-cillin

Penicillin antibiotic

-cycline

Tetracycline antibiotic

halt the growth and spread of bacteria

-dipine

Calcium channel blocker, antihypertensive

-dronate

Bisphosphonate

treat/prevent osteoporosis

-eprazole

Proton pump inhibitor (PPI)

(reduce stomach acid production to treat GERD, stomach ulcers, and prevent NSAID GI damage)

-fenac

NSAID

(Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and lower fevers

-floxacin

Fluoroquinolone antibiotic

kill bacteria by interfering with their DNA replication

-gliptin

$DPP-4$ inhibitor, diabetes agent

-glitazone

Thiazolidinedione, diabetes agent

-iramine

Histamine $H-1$ receptor antagonist, antihistamine

-lamide

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitor

treat glaucoma, altitude sickness, and fluid retention (edema)

-mab

Monoclonal antibody

-mustine

Alkylating agent (chemotherapy)

-mycin

Macrolide antibiotic

stopping bacteria from producing the proteins they need to survive

-nacin

Muscarinic antagonist (anticholinergic)

inhibiting the parasympathetic nervous system. for overactive bladder, COPD, motion sickness, Parkinson's disease.

-nazole

Anti-fungal

-olol

Beta blocker, antihypertensive

-olone (e.g., prednisolone)

Corticosteroid

severe inflammation, allergies, and autoimmune disorders

-olone (e.g., nandrolone)

Anabolic steroid

(hypogonadism, muscle-wasting diseases, and delayed puberty)

-onide

Corticosteroid

severe inflammation, allergies, and autoimmune disorders

-oprazole

Proton pump inhibitor (PPI)

GERD, stomach ulcers

-phylline

Xanthine derivative

(bronchodilators for asthma, COPD, and (CNS) stimulants)

-pramine

Tricyclic antidepressant (TCA)

-pril

ACE inhibitor, antihypertensive

-profen

NSAID

-ridone

Antipsychotic

-sartan

Angiotensin $II$ receptor blocker, antihypertensive

-semide

Loop diuretic, antihypertensive

-setron

Serotonin $5-HT3$ receptor antagonist, anti-emetic

managing postoperative, chemotherapy-induced, and radiation-induced nausea

-statin

HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, cholesterol lowering agent

-tadine (e.g., loratadine)

Histamine $H-1$ receptor antagonist, antihistamine

block histamine from binding to H-1 receptors in the body. relieve allergy symptoms

-tadine (e.g., amantadine)

Anti-viral, Influenza A

-terol

Beta-agonist, asthma treatment

-thiazide

Thiazide diuretic, antihypertensive

-tinib

Kinase inhibitor (chemotherapy)

-trel

Female hormone (progestin)

-triptan

Migraine treatment, $5HT1$ agonist

-tyline

Tricyclic antidepressant (TCA)

-vir (e.g., acyclovir)

Anti-viral, herpesviruses

-vir (e.g., oseltamivir)

Anti-viral, Influenza

-vudine

Anti-viral

-zepam

Benzodiazepine, sedative

-zodone

Antidepressant

cef-, ceph-

Cephalosporin antibiotic

(kill bacteria directly by disrupting their cell wall synthesis)

sulfa-

Sulfa containing medication

cort

Corticosteroid

severe inflammation, allergies, and autoimmune disorders

parin, -parin

Blood thinner, anticoagulant

pred, pred-

Corticosteroid

(treat severe inflammation, allergies, and autoimmune disorders)

tretin-; tretin; -tretin

Form of vitamin A, dermatology agent

vir; -vir (e.g., ritonavir)

Anti-viral

-zolam

Benzodiazepine, sedative

-zosin

Alpha blocker

relax blood vessels. hypertension.