STEPTRACKERPHARMACOLOGY | DRUG NAMES | RAPID-FIRE REVIEW

Drug Name Stems

The ending of a drug name usually gives away its class — learn the stems once and unfamiliar names in a question stem become readable. Each row links to the full page.

FOCUS ON
Stems are assigned by naming bodies so that related drugs share an ending. Use them to classify an unfamiliar drug, then recall the class mechanism and toxicity. Watch the look-alikes: -olol (β-blocker) vs -alol (α + β); -azosin (α1) vs -azole (antifungal or PPI by context: -prazole); -tinib (kinase) vs -tidine (H2); -mab antibodies split into -ximab (chimeric), -zumab (humanized) and -umab (human). Full pages: 2.06, 3.01, 13.02.
STEM
CLASS
EXAMPLES
PAGE
-olol
β-blocker
Propranolol, metoprolol, atenolol
2.06
-alol · -ilol
Mixed α + β-blocker
Labetalol, carvedilol
2.06
-azosin
α1-blocker
Prazosin, doxazosin, terazosin
2.05
-terol
β2 agonist
Albuterol, salmeterol, formoterol
8.01
-pril
ACE inhibitor
Lisinopril, enalapril, captopril
3.01
-sartan
Angiotensin II receptor blocker
Losartan, valsartan, candesartan
3.01
-dipine
Dihydropyridine Ca²⁺ channel blocker
Amlodipine, nifedipine, nicardipine
3.01
-statin
HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor
Atorvastatin, rosuvastatin
3.06
-xaban · -gatran
Direct Xa inhibitor · direct thrombin inhibitor
Apixaban, rivaroxaban · dabigatran
5.01
-parin · -teplase
Heparins · tPA thrombolytics
Enoxaparin · alteplase, tenecteplase
5.02
-gliflozin · -gliptin · -glutide
SGLT2 inhibitor · DPP-4 inhibitor · GLP-1 agonist
Empagliflozin · sitagliptin · semaglutide
6.01
-glitazone
Thiazolidinedione (PPAR-γ)
Pioglitazone
6.01
-dronate
Bisphosphonate
Alendronate, zoledronate
6.04
-prazole · -tidine
Proton pump inhibitor · H2 blocker
Omeprazole · famotidine
7.01
-setron
5-HT₃ antagonist
Ondansetron, granisetron
7.02
-triptan
5-HT1B/1D agonist
Sumatriptan, rizatriptan
9.05
-azepam · -azolam
Benzodiazepine
Diazepam, lorazepam · midazolam, alprazolam
10.03
-barbital
Barbiturate
Phenobarbital
10.03
-triptyline · -ipramine
Tricyclic antidepressant
Amitriptyline · imipramine
10.01
-curium · -curonium
Nondepolarizing NM blocker
Cisatracurium · rocuronium, vecuronium
9.03
-caine
Local anesthetic
Lidocaine, bupivacaine
9.03
-cillin · -cef / ceph- · -penem
Penicillin · cephalosporin · carbapenem
Ampicillin · ceftriaxone · meropenem
12.01
-mycin · -micin · -cycline
Aminoglycoside or macrolide (by drug) · tetracycline
Gentamicin, azithromycin · doxycycline
12.02
-floxacin
Fluoroquinolone
Ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin
12.03
-conazole · -fungin
Azole antifungal · echinocandin
Fluconazole · caspofungin
12.04
-ciclovir · -navir · -tegravir
Herpes antiviral · HIV protease inhibitor · integrase inhibitor
Acyclovir · darunavir · dolutegravir
12.05
-tinib · -zomib · -ciclib · -parib
Kinase · proteasome · CDK4/6 · PARP inhibitor
Imatinib · bortezomib · palbociclib · olaparib
13.02
-ximab · -zumab · -umab · -cept
Chimeric · humanized · human antibody · receptor fusion protein
Rituximab · trastuzumab · adalimumab · etanercept
13.03
-limus · -relin / -relix
mTOR or calcineurin (tacrolimus) · GnRH agonist / antagonist
Sirolimus · leuprorelin, degarelix
13.03

Mechanism — reading an antibody name

PrefixUnique to the drug
→
Target infix-tu- tumor, -li(m)- immune, -ci- cardiovascular, -vi- viral
→
Source-xi- chimeric, -zu- humanized, -u- human
→
-mabMonoclonal antibody

Look-alike stems

STEM
CLASS
DON'T CONFUSE
-olol
β-blocker
-alol (α + β)
-tidine
H2 blocker
-tinib (kinase)
-prazole
PPI
-azosin (α1), -conazole
-dipine
DHP CCB
-pine (antipsychotic: clozapine)

How it's tested

COMMON CONFUSION"-mycin" covers both aminoglycosides (gentamicin, tobramycin) and macrolides (erythromycin, azithromycin) — they hit different ribosomal subunits.
THE TRAPSome drugs don't follow stems (vancomycin isn't a macrolide; clindamycin isn't an aminoglycoside) — confirm from context.
YOUR APPROACHUnfamiliar name → stem → class → class mechanism → class toxicity.

If you see… think…

"-gliflozin" → SGLT2 inhibitor (genital infections, euglycemic DKA)
"-tinib" → tyrosine kinase inhibitor
"-zumab" → humanized monoclonal antibody
"-cept" → receptor–Fc fusion protein
"-xaban" → factor Xa inhibitor
"-sartan" → ARB (no cough)
"-curonium" → nondepolarizing NM blocker (reverse with sugammadex)
"-navir" → HIV protease inhibitor (CYP3A4)
"-setron" → 5-HT₃ antagonist (QT)
"-dronate" → bisphosphonate (esophagitis, jaw osteonecrosis)