Common Name Stems Cheat Sheet Below is a cheat sheet table that has 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 in the middle of the generic name.

Drug Stem Drug Class and/or Stem Explanation Examples

labetalol, medroxalol –alol Combined alpha and beta blockers ​ ​ ​ –andr– ​ ​ altanserin, tropanserin, altanserin –anserin Serotonin 5–HT(sub)2 receptor antagonists ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ fludarabine –arabine Antineoplastics (arabinofuranosyl derivatives) ​ alglucerase, dornase alfa –ase Enzymes ​ ​ ​ ​ lorazepam –azepam Antianxiety agents (diazepam type) ​ doxazosin –azosin Antihypertensives (prazosin type) ​ sulbactam –bactam Beta–lactamase inhibitors ​ meprobamate, felbamate –bamate Tranquilizers/antiepileptics ​ ​ ​ phenobarbital –barb Barbituric acid derivatives ​ ​ mofebutazone –butazone Anti–inflammatory (phenylbutazone type) ​ dibucaine –caine Local anesthetics ​ cef– ​ –cillin Penicillins ​ fluconazole, oxiconazole –conazole (miconazole type) ​ ​ –cort– Cortisone derivatives ​ ​ atracurium –curium Neuromuscular blocking agents ​ minocycline –cycline (tetracycline type) ​ hydralazine –dralazine Antihypertensives (hydrazine–phthalazines) ​ pergolide –erg– Ergot alkaloid derivatives ​ ​ estr– ​ bezafibrate – Antihyperlipidemics ​ enflurane, isoflurane –flurane Inhalation anesthetics ​ ​ ​ megestrol –gest– Progestins ​ ​ desirudin –irudin ​ teceleukin, aldesleukin –leukin Interleukin–2 derivatives ​ ​ ​

, zafirlukast –lukast Leukotriene antagonists ​ ​ ​ capromab, daclizumab, detumomab, –mab Monoclonal antibodies ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ rimantadine –mantadine Antivirals ​ gloximonam –monam Monobactam antibiotics ​ carmustine –mustine Antineoplastics ​ lincomycin –mycin Antibiotics (streptomyces strains) ​ , –olol Beta–blockers (propranolol type) ​ ​ ​ minaxolone –olone (no prednisone derivatives) ​ difloxacin, –oxacin Antibiotics (quinolone derivatives) ​ ​ ​ adipamide –pamide (sulfamoylbenzoic acid derivatives) ​ tiapamil –pamil Coronary vasodilators ​ Heparin derivatives and low molecular weight (or heparin, tinzaparin, dalteparin –parin depolymerized) heparins ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

haloperidol –peridol (haloperidol type) ​ epoetin alfa, epoetin beta –poetin Erythropoietins ​ ​ ​ ​ lofepramine –pramine (imipramine type) ​ prednicarbate, cloprednol –pred Prednisone derivatives ​ ​ ​ , temocapril, spirapril –pril Antihypertensives (ACE inhibitors) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ flurbiprofen –profen Anti–inflammatory/ agents (ibuprofen type) ​ epirubicin, idarubicin –rubicin Antineoplastic antibiotics (daunorubicin type) ​ ​ ​ , eprosartan –sartan Angiotensin II receptor antagonists ​ ​ ​ –sulfa Antibiotics (sulfonamide derivatives) ​ chlorothiazide – Diuretics (thiazide derivatives) ​ oxytocin, pitocin –tocin Oxytocin derivatives ​ ​ ​ methotrexate –trexate Antimetabolites (folic acid derivatives) ​ –triptyline Antidepressants ​ ­uracil Uracil derivatives used as thyroid antagonists and fluorouracil ​ as antineoplastics

lovastatin, simvastatin –vastatin Antihyperlipidemics (HMG–CoA inhibitors) ​ ​ ​ vir­, ­vir­ or ­vir Antiviral substances (undefined group) viroxime, envirodyne, ganciclovir ​ ​ ​ ​ More cheat sheets at Nurseslabs.com ​ ​ ​