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Generic Drug Name Stems

Cheat Sheet
UPDATED ON AUGUST 8, 2021 BY MATT VERA, BSN, R.N.

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If you are studying nursing pharmacology, a great way of understanding and

memorizing the use and function of medication is to familiarize yourself with
its generic name stem. Usually, drugs of the same therapeutic class are given
names with the same stem. These stems are mostly placed word-finally
(suffix), but in some cases, word-initial (prefix) stems are also used.

Stems are useful for making communication of drugs more precise to avoid
prescribing errors. Having an unambiguous standard of names for each drug
is important because many different brand names may sell a drug, or a
branded medication may contain more than one drug.

Common Drug Stems Cheat Sheet

Below is a cheat sheet table with three columns: Drug Stem, Drug Class, and
an Example. Each stem has hyphens at one or both ends of its text to show
that it is found at the beginning, end, or middle of the generic name. You can
also download the cheat sheet below.

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STEM DEFINITION EXAMPLES

 STEM DEFINITION EXAMPLES

bromfenac,
–ac NSAID (acetic acid derivatives)
dexpemedolac

levonantradol,
mixed opiate receptor
–adol– spiradoline,
agonists/antagonists
tazadolene

Inhibitor of PDE5 with vasodilator sildenafil (viagra),

–afil
action tadalafil

–alol Combined alpha and beta blockers labetalol, medroxalol

–andr– Androgens nandrolone

Angiogenesis inhibitors (inhibits Pazopanib,

–anib
growth of new blood vessels) Vandetanib

Serotonin 5–HT(sub)2 receptor altanserin,

–anserin
antagonists tropanserin

Antineoplastics (arabinofuranosyl
–arabine fludarabine
derivatives)

alglucerase,
–ase Enzymes
dornase alfa

olopatadine,
–atadine Tricyclic antiasthmatics
loratadine

–axine Antianxiety, antidepressant venlafaxine

Benzodiazepine receptor
–azenil bretazenil, flumazenil
agonists/antagonists

–azepam Antianxiety agents (diazepam type) lorazepam, diazepam

–azepide Cholecystokinin receptor antagonists devazepide

quadazocine,
–azocine Narcotic antagonists/agonists
ketazocine
:
 –azocine Narcotic antagonists/agonists
ketazocine

–azoline Antihistamines/local vasoconstrictors antazoline

–azosin Antihypertensives (prazosin type) doxazosin

–bactam Beta–lactamase inhibitors sulbactam

meprobamate,
–bamate Tranquilizers/antiepileptics
felbamate

phenobarbital,
–barb– Barbituric acid derivatives
secobarbital

carabersat;
–bersat Anticonvulsants; antimigraine
tidembersat

–bufen NSAID (fenbufen derivatives) indobufen

–butan Antiseptics dapabutan, lopbutan

– Anti–inflammatory analgesics
mofebutazone
butazone (phenylbutazone type)

–caine Local anesthetics lidocaine, dibucaine

–carbef Antibiotics (carbacephem derivatives) loracarbef

ampicillin, penicillin,
–cillin Penicillins
oxacillin

–cog blood coagulation factors eptacog alfa,

nonacog alfa,
octocog alfa

fluconazole,
–conazole Antifungals (miconazole type)
oxiconazole

–cort– Cortisone derivatives hydrocortisone

–curium Neuromuscular blocking agents atracurium

:
 minocycline,
–cycline Antibiotics (tetracycline type)
tetracycline

Antihypertensives (hydrazine–
–dralazine hydralazine
phthalazines)

etidronate,
–dronate Calcium metabolism regulators
tiludronate

doramectin,
–ectin Antiparasitics (ivermectin type)
moxidectin

–erg– Ergot alkaloid derivatives pergolide

–etanide Diuretics bumetanide

–fenamic mefenamic acid,

Anti-inflammatory agents
acid flufenamic acid

–fentanil Narcotic analgesics alfentanil, mirfentanil

–fibrate Antihyperlipidemics bezafibrate

–flurane Inhalation anesthetics enflurane, isoflurane

–gest– Progestins megestrol

–giline MAO-inhibitors, type B selegiline

–gillin Antibiotics (aspergillus strains) mitogillin

–gliptin Antihyperglycemics vildagliptin

–glitazar Antihyperglycemics, PPRA agonists farglitazar

ciglitazone,
–glizatone Antihyperglycemics, PPST agonists
rosiglitazone

–grel– Platelet aggregation inhibitor clopidogrel, ticagrelor

forfenimex,
–imex Immunostimulants
roquinimex
:
 –imex Immunostimulants
roquinimex

tacrolimus,
–imus Immunosuppresives napirimus,
gusperimus

–irudin Anticoagulants desirudin

teceleukin,
–leukin Interleukin–2 derivatives
aldesleukin

montelukast,
–lukast Leukotriene antagonists
zafirlukast

capromab,
–mab Monoclonal antibodies daclizumab,
detumomab

–
Antivirals rimantadine
mantadine

Antiasthmatics/antiallergics; type IV
–milast piclamilast
phosphodiesterase inhibitors

–monam Monobactam antibiotics gloximonam

–mustine Antineoplastics carmustine

–mycin Antibiotics (streptomyces strains) lincomycin

–olol Beta–blockers (propranolol type) timolol, atenolol

–olone Steroids (no prednisone derivatives) minaxolone

methrophan,
–orphan Narcotic antagonists/agonists
dextrorphan

difloxacin,
–oxacin Antibiotics (quinolone derivatives)
ciprofloxacin

duloxetine,
–oxetine Antidepressants
:
 –oxetine Antidepressants
reboxetine

Diuretics (sulfamoylbenzoic acid

–pamide adipamide
derivatives)

–pamil Coronary vasodilators tiapamil

heparin, tinzaparin,
–parin Heparin derivatives
dalteparin

–peridol Antipsychotics (haloperidol type) haloperidol

risperidone,
–peridone Antispsychotics (risperidone type)
iloperidone

–pidem Hypnotics/sedatives (zolpidem) zolpidem, alpidem

linopiridine,
–piridine Cognition enhancers
besipiridine

epoetin alfa,
–poetin Erythropoietins
epoetin beta

–pramine Antidepressants (imipramine type) lofepramine

omeprazole,
–prazole Proton-pump inhibitor
lansoprazole

prednicarbate,
–pred– Prednisone derivatives
cloprednol

–pril Antihypertensives (ACE inhibitors) captopril, temocapril,

spirapril

Anti–inflammatory/analgesic agents
–profen flurbiprofen
(ibuprofen type)

latanoprost,
–prost– Prostaglandin analogue
unoprostone

Antineoplastic antibiotics
–rubicin epirubicin, idarubicin
:
 –rubicin epirubicin, idarubicin
(daunorubicin type)

–sartan Angiotensin II receptor antagonists losartan, eprosartan

Renal dehydropeptidase inhibitor

–statin cilastatin, pepstatin
pepsin inhibitor

–ster– Steroids (androgens, anabolics) testosterone

–sulfa Antibiotics (sulfonamide derivatives) sulfasalazine

Antiasthmatics/antiallergics; integrin
–tegrast valategrast
antagonists

Bronchodilators (phenethylamine
–terol albuterol
derivatives)

–thiazide Diuretics (thiazide derivatives) chlorothiazide

–tide peptides and glycopeptides Nesiritide, Octreotide

–tocin Oxytocin derivatives oxytocin, pitocin

–trexate Antimetabolites (folic acid derivatives) methotrexate

–triptyline Antidepressants amitriptyline

Antiasthmatics/antiallergics;
–trodast seratrodast
thromboxane A2 receptor antagonists

Uracil derivatives used as thyroid

–uracil antagonists and as antineoplastics fluorouracil

Antihyperlipidemics (HMG–CoA lovastatin,

–vastatin
inhibitors) simvastatin

Antiasthmatics/antiallergics; eclazolast,
–zolast
benzoxazole derivatives ontazolast

natalizumab,
–zumab humanized antibodies
bevacizumab
:
 –zumab humanized antibodies
bevacizumab

bol–, –
Anabolic steroids bolandiol, mibolerone
bol–

cef– Cephalosporins (first-gen) cefazolin

estr– Estrogens estrone

vir-, -vir- Antiviral substances (undefined viroxime, envirodyne,

or -vir group) ganciclovir

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Matt Vera, BSN, R.N.

Matt Vera is a registered nurse with a bachelor of science in nursing since 2009 and is
currently working as a full-time writer and editor for Nurseslabs. During his time as a
student, he knows how frustrating it is to cram on difficult nursing topics. Finding help
online is nearly impossible. His situation drove his passion for helping student nurses by
creating content and lectures that are easy to digest. Knowing how valuable nurses are in
delivering quality healthcare but limited in number, he wants to educate and inspire nursing
students. As a nurse educator since 2010, his goal in Nurseslabs is to simplify the learning
process, break down complicated topics, help motivate learners, and look for unique ways
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