These prefixes, roots, and suffixes apply only to generic names.

prefix, root,
examples (generic names) drug class or drug category
suffix
phosphodiesterase (PDE)
-afil avanafil; sildenafil; tadalafil; vardenafil
inhibitor
betamethasone; dexamethasone;
-asone corticosteroid
diflorasone; fluticasone; mometasone
doxorubicin; epirubicin; idarubicin; antineoplastic; cytotoxic
-bicin
valrubicin agent
butabarbital; butalbital; phenobarbital;
-bital barbiturate (sedative)
secobarbital
bupivacaine; lidocaine; mepivacaine;
-caine local anesthetic
prilocaine; proparacaine
cefaclor; cefdinir; cefixime; cefprozil;
cef-, ceph- cephalosporin antibiotic
cephalexin
amoxicillin; ampicillin; dicloxacillin;
-cillin penicillin antibiotic
nafcillin; oxacillin
clocortolone; fludrocortisone;
cort corticosteroid
hydrocortisone
demeclocycline; doxycycline;
-cycline tetracycline antibiotic
minocycline; tetracycline
albendazole; mebendazole; anthelmintic; antibiotic;
-dazole
metronidazole; tinidazole antibacterial
amlodipine; felodipine; nifedipine;
-dipine calcium channel blocker
nimodipine; nisoldipine
alendronate; etidronate; ibandronate; bisphosphonate; bone
-dronate
risedronate resorption inhibitor
-eprazole esomeprazole; omeprazole; rabeprazole proton pump inhibitor (PPI)
-fenac bromfenac; diclofenac; nepafenac NSAID
besifloxacin; ciprofloxacin; levofloxacin;
-floxacin quinolone antibiotic
moxifloxacin; ofloxacin
antidiabetic; inhibitor of the
-gliptin saxagliptin; sitagliptin; linagliptin
DPP-4 enzyme
-glitazone pioglitazone; rosiglitazone; troglitazone antidiabetic; thiazolidinedione
brompheniramine; chlorpheniramine;
-iramine antihistamine
pheniramine
acetazolamide; brinzolamide;
-lamide carbonic anhydrase inhibitor
dorzolamide; methazolamide
adalimumab; daclizumab; infliximab;
-mab monoclonal antibody
omalizumab; trastuzumab
carmustine; estramustine; lomustine; alkylating agent
-mustine
bendamustine (antineoplastic)
azithromycin; clarithromycin;
-mycin antibiotic; antibacterial
clindamycin; erythromycin
 muscarinic antagonist
-nacin darifenacin; solifenacin
(anticholinergic)
fluconazole; ketoconazole; miconazole;
-nazole antifungal
terconazole; tioconazole
atenolol; metoprolol; nadolol; pindolol;
-olol beta blocker
propranolol; timolol
fluocinolone; fluorometholone;
-olone corticosteroid
prednisolone; triamcinolone
-olone nandrolone; oxandrolone; oxymetholone anabolic steroid
budesonide; ciclesonide; desonide;
-onide corticosteroid
fluocinonide; halcinonide
dexlansoprazole; lansoprazole;
-oprazole proton pump inhibitor (PPI)
pantoprazole
dalteparin; enoxaparin; fondaparinux; antithrombotic; anticoagulant
parin; -parin
heparin; tinzaparin (blood thinner)
aminophylline; dyphylline; oxtriphylline; xanthine derivative
-phylline
theophylline (bronchodilator)
clomipramine; desipramine; imipramine;
-pramine tricyclic antidepressant (TCA)
trimipramine
loteprednol; prednicarbate;
pred; pred- corticosteroid
prednisolone; prednisone
benazepril; captopril; enalapril; lisinopril;
-pril ACE inhibitor
moexipril; ramipril
fenoprofen; flurbiprofen; ibuprofen;
-profen NSAID
ketoprofen
-ridone iloperidone; paliperidone; risperidone atypical antipsychotic
candesartan; irbesartan; losartan; angiotensin II receptor
-sartan
olmesartan; valsartan antagonist; ARB
-semide furosemide; torsemide loop diuretic (water pill)
alosetron; dolasetron; granisetron; serotonin 5-HT3 receptor
-setron
ondansetron; palonosetron antagonist
dolasetron; granisetron; ondansetron;
-setron antiemetic and antinauseant
palonosetron
atorvastatin; lovastatin; pitavastatin; HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor;
-statin
pravastatin; rosuvastatin; simvastatin statins
sulfacetamide; sulfadiazine; antibiotic; anti-infective; anti-
sulfa-
sulfamethoxazole; sulfasalazine inflammatory
alcaftadine; cyproheptadine;
-tadine antihistamine
desloratadine; loratadine; olopatadine
-tadine amantadine; rimantadine antiviral; anti-influenza-A
albuterol; arformoterol; formoterol;
-terol beta agonist; bronchodilator
levalbuterol; salmeterol
chlorothiazide; hydrochlorothiazide;
-thiazide thiazide diuretic (water pill)
methyclothiazide
 crizotinib; dasatinib; erlotinib; gefitinib; antineoplastic (kinase
-tinib
imatinib inhibitor)
desogestrel; etonogestrel;
-trel female hormone (progestin)
levonorgestrel; norgestrel
tretin-; tretin; retinoid; dermatologic agent;
acitretin; alitretinoin; isotretinoin; tretinoin
-tretin form of vitamin A
almotriptan; eletriptan; rizatriptan; antimigraine; selective 5-HT
-triptan
sumatriptan; zolmitriptan receptor agonist
-tyline amitriptyline; nortriptyline; protriptyline tricyclic antidepressant (TCA)
abacavir; efavirenz; enfuvirtide;
vir; -vir antiviral; anti-HIV
nevirapine; ritonavir; tenofovir
adefovir; entecavir; ribavirin (along with
vir; -vir antiviral; anti-hepatitis
interferon)
acyclovir; famciclovir; penciclovir;
-vir antiviral; anti-herpes
valacyclovir
-vir cidofovir; ganciclovir; valganciclovir antiviral; anti-CMV
-vir oseltamivir; zanamivir antiviral; anti-flu
lamivudine; stavudine; telbivudine; antiviral; nucleoside
-vudine
zidovudine analogues
clonazepam; diazepam; flurazepam;
-zepam benzodiazepine
lorazepam; temazepam
-zodone nefazodone, trazodone, vilazodone antidepressant
alprazolam; estazolam; midazolam;
-zolam benzodiazepine
triazolam
-zosin alfuzosin; doxazosin; prazosin; terazosin alpha blocker
prefix, root,
examples (generic names) drug class or drug category
suffix

Lourenz S. Bontia BSN III