Drug Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes Flashcards
-afil
Class: phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor
Use: anti-impotence
Ex: Sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil
-ase
Class: thrombolyic agent
Use: dissolves clots
Ex: alteplase, anistreplacse, streptokinase, tenecteplase
-azole
Class: antifungal antimicrobial
Use: treats fungal skin infections like athlete’s foot, jock itch, and ringworm
Ex: itraconazole, fluconazole, clotrimazole, miconazole
-bicin
Class: antineoplastic
Use: treats cancer
Ex: cloxorubicin, epirubicin, idarubicin, valrubicin
-bital
Class: barbituate
Use: can treat insomnia or can be used as sedative for medical procedures
Ex: butabarbital, butalbital, phenobarbital, secobarbital
-caine
Class: local anesthetic
Use: numbs specific body parts for medical procedures. Some (like lidocaine) can also be used to treat arrhythmias
Ex: bupivacaine, lidocaine, mepivacaine, prilocaine, proparacaine
-cef, -ceph
Class: cephalosporin antibiotic
Use: can treat pneumonia, bronchitis, strep throat, and other breathing issues
Ex: cefaclor, cefdinir, cefixime, cefprozil, cephalexin
-cillin
Class: penicillin antibiotic
Use: treats ear, nose, throat, GU tract, skin, and soft-tissue infections
Ex: amoxicillin, ampicillin, dicloxacillin, nafcillin, oxacillin
cort
Class: corticosteroid
Use: treats severe inflammation (often severe allergies, skin problems, asthma, or arthritis)
Ex: clocortolone, fludrocortisone, hydrocortisone
-cycline
Class: tetracycline antibiotic
Use: treats various illnesses, like typhus, tick fevers, E coli infections, and Klebsiella infections (RT infections and UTIs)
Ex: demeclocycline, doxycycline, minocycline, tetracycline
-dazole
Class: anthelmintic, antibiotic, antibacterial
Use: treats infections often caused by worms. Can also treat certain types of vaginal infections
Ex: albendazole, mebendazole, metronidazole, tinidazole
-dipine
Class: calcium channel blocker
Use: treats hypertension
Ex: amlopidine, felodipine, nifedipine, nimodipine, nisoldipine
-dronate
Class:biphosphonate, bone resorption inhibitor
Use: treats and/or prevents osteoperosis. Can also treat Paget’s disease of the bone
Ex: alendronate, etidronate, ibandronate, risedronate
-fenac
Class: NSAID
Use: treats inflammation, most commonly for post-eye surgery or arthritis
Ex: bromfenac, diclofenac, nepafenac
-floxacin
Class: quinolone antibiotic
Use: treats infections such as swimmer’s ear; skin, eye, sinuses, lungs, or stomach infections; and UTIs
Ex: ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, ofloxacin
