Drug Prefixes, Suffixes, Stems, and Roots.docx - Drug Names...

The NCSBN has removed all brand and trade names from the NCLEX exam citing “the generic name is more consistent while a brand/trade
medication name may vary.”
Fortunately , generic names tend to follow patterns, with prefixes and suffixes often determining the class of medication. The following table gives
a list of the prefix, root, and suffix for some common medications. We have included drug actions and the body system involved, where
applicable.
These drug prefixes, roots, and suffixes apply only to generic names.
prefix, root, suffix examples (generic names) drug class or drug category
-afil avanafil; sildenafil; tadalafil; vardenafil phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor
-asone betamethasone; dexamethasone; diflorasone; fluticasone; mometasone corticosteroid
-bicin doxorubicin; epirubicin; idarubicin; valrubicin antineoplastic; cytotoxic agent
-bital butabarbital; butalbital; phenobarbital; secobarbital barbiturate (sedative)
-caine bupivacaine; lidocaine; mepivacaine; prilocaine; proparacaine local anesthetic
cef-, ceph- cefaclor; cefdinir; cefixime; cefprozil; cephalexin cephalosporin antibiotic
-cillin amoxicillin; ampicillin; dicloxacillin; nafcillin; oxacillin penicillin antibiotic
cort clocortolone; fludrocortisone; hydrocortisone corticosteroid
Drug Names – Stems, Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes

-cycline demeclocycline; doxycycline; minocycline; tetracycline tetracycline antibiotic
-dazole albendazole; mebendazole; metronidazole; tinidazole anthelmintic; antibiotic; antibacterial
-dipine amlodipine; felodipine; nifedipine; nimodipine; nisoldipine calcium channel blocker
-dronate alendronate; etidronate; ibandronate; risedronate