16/11/2025
30 Drug Suffixes Every Pharmacy Student Must Know (With Meaning & Examples)💊
Ever wondered why some drugs end with -pril, -olol, or -prazole? 😅
Here’s the secret: those little endings tell you what the drug does, which class it belongs to, and how it can help patients.
Knowing them makes you sound like a clinical wizard in class, IT, clerkship, and beyond.
1. –pril
Meaning: Angiotensin Converting Enzymes (ACE) inhibitors
Uses: Hypertension, heart failure
Examples: Enalapril, Lisinopril
2. –sartan
Meaning: Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)
Uses: Hypertension
Examples: Losartan, Valsartan
3. –olol
Meaning: Beta-blockers
Uses: Hypertension, arrhythmias, anxiety
Examples: Propranolol, Atenolol
4. –dipine
Meaning: Dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers
Uses: Hypertension, angina
Examples: Amlodipine, Nifedipine
5. –mycin
Meaning: Macrolides / some aminoglycosides
Uses: Antibacterial
Examples: Azithromycin, Clarithromycin
6. –floxacin
Meaning: Fluoroquinolone antibiotics
Examples: Ciprofloxacin, Levofloxacin
7. –azole
Meaning: Antifungals
Examples: Fluconazole, Ketoconazole
8. –cillin
Meaning: Penicillin antibiotics
Examples: Amoxicillin, Ampicillin
9. –vir
Meaning: Antivirals (esp. HIV/Hepatitis)
Examples: Ritonavir, Oseltamivir
10. –oxetine
Meaning: SSRIs
Examples: Fluoxetine, Paroxetine
11. –tidine
Meaning: H2 blockers
Uses: GERD, ulcers
Examples: Ranitidine, Famotidine
12. –prazole
Meaning: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)
Uses: Ulcers, GERD
Examples: Omeprazole, Pantoprazole
13. –lukast
Meaning: Leukotriene receptor antagonists
Uses: Asthma
Examples: Montelukast
14. –statin
Meaning: HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors
Uses: Lower cholesterol
Examples: Atorvastatin, Rosuvastatin
15. –caine
Meaning: Local anesthetics
Uses: Numbing
Examples: Lidocaine, Bupivacaine
16. –barbital
Meaning: Barbiturates
Uses: Sedation
Examples: Phenobarbital
17. –triptan
Meaning: 5-HT₁ agonists
Uses: Migraines
Examples: Sumatriptan
18. –formin
Meaning: Biguanides
Uses: Diabetes
Examples: Metformin
19. –tadine
Meaning: Antihistamines or antivirals
Examples: Loratadine (antihistamine), Amantadine (antiviral)
20. –dronate
Meaning: Bisphosphonates
Uses: Osteoporosis
Examples: Alendronate
21. –setron
Meaning: 5-HT₃ antagonists
Uses: Anti-emetic
Examples: Ondansetron
22. –terol
Meaning: β₂ agonists
Uses: Asthma, COPD
Examples: Salbutamol, Formoterol
23. –zumab / –mab
Meaning: Monoclonal antibodies
Uses: Autoimmune diseases, cancers
Examples: Trastuzumab, Adalimumab
24. –lamide
Meaning: Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors
Uses: Glaucoma, diuresis
Examples: Acetazolamide
25. –dazole
Meaning: Antiprotozoals / some anti-helminths
Examples: Metronidazole, Albendazole
26. –tropium
Meaning: Anticholinergics (respiratory)
Uses: COPD
Examples: Ipratropium, Tiotropium
27. –nacin
Meaning: Muscarinic antagonists
Uses: Overactive bladder
Examples: Darifenacin, Solifenacin
28. –parin
Meaning: Anticoagulants
Uses: Prevent clotting
Examples: Heparin, Enoxaparin
29. –thiazide
Meaning: Thiazide diuretics
Uses: Hypertension
Examples: Hydrochlorothiazide
30. –mab
Meaning: Monoclonal antibodies
Uses: Autoimmune diseases, cancers
Examples: Pembrolizumab, Infliximab
Learning drug suffixes is like learning the secret code of medicine.
Once you know them, you can identify a drug’s class, purpose, and effect just by its name. This is how pharmacy students look smart in class and in clerkship.
💾 Save this post for exams & rotations.
Tag a friend who always mixes up -pril and -sartan 😭💀
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