How prescription drugs get their name

Leader of the Furlings

http://theweek.com/article/index/248158/how-do-prescription-drugs-get-such-crazy-names

-oxetine for a class of antidepressants, such as fluoxetine (Prozac)
-sartan for a class of blood-pressure-lowering drugs, such as losartan (Cozaar)
-afil for a class of drugs used for erectile dysfunction, such as sildenafil (Viagra)
-lukast for a class of anti-asthma drugs, such as montelukast (Singulair)
-azepam for a class of anti-anxiety medications, such as diazepam (Valium)
-coxib for a class of anti-inflammatory pain relievers, such as celecoxib (Celebrex)
-dronate for a class of drugs that prevent calcium loss, such as alendronate (Fosamax)
-formin for one class of diabetes drugs, such as metformin (Glucophage), and -glitazone for another class, such as rosiglitazone (Avandia)
-prazole for a class of stomach acid reducers, such as esomeprazole (Prilosec)
-conazole for a class of anti-fungals
-vir for antivirals, with a number of subclasses, including -amivir for a class that includes the anti-flu drug zanamivir (Relenza), -ciclovir for a class that treats herpes (such as famciclovir (Famvir)), and ­-navir for antiretrovirals for HIV treatment, such as indinavir (Crixivan)
-stat for enzyme inhibitors, with a whole bunch of subclasses — for instance, -becestat means it's a beta secretase inhibitor (doesn't that help you? It would if you were a pharmacist)

Their's actually a system. Who knew!

echo beach

Leader of the Furlings wrote: »

Their's actually a system. Who knew!

I'd say anybody who studied pharmacology knew. The reason it isn't immediately obvious is that the system uses the end of the word, the suffix, while we are more used to naming systems that use the same start, or prefix, e.g iso- for equal.

Drug companies usually try to give their drugs a completely unpronounceable generic name but a snappy and memorable brand name.

MrCreosote

echo beach wrote: »

Drug companies usually try to give their drugs a completely unpronounceable generic name but a snappy and memorable brand name.

Apparently efficacy is increased by the number of 'z's, 'x's and 'v's they can cram into the brand name.

Vioxx is still my favourite- no point for the double 'x' at the end except for awesomeness.

echo beach

MrCreosote wrote: »

Vioxx is still my favourite- no point for the double 'x' at the end except for awesomeness.

There may have been a reason for it. Some of the prescribing software systems doctors use require five characters to do a search.
It still holds all sorts of records for the speed it took off as a 'blockbuster' drug. A lot of it was due to the huge advertising spend in the States where drugs are advertised directly to the public but the name may have played its part.

L1011

Was vioxx ever licensed for use here? Withdrawal happened before I'd have had any involvement in the hassle involved with one, but I'd never heard of its use here either way.

Ihaveanopinion

It was released in Ireland. It was a great drug for pain relief.

Unfortunately it was withdrawn following the issues with cardiac complications - which, as it turned out, is an issue for all NSAIDs.

Aulin (Nimesulide) was another great one - withdrawn because of fulminant hepato-renal failure in a small group of susceptible patients. Loved that one for a hangover

L1011

I had a Lithuanian GP moaning at me (as if I was a representative of the IMB) about Aulin because it seemed that it was still available there at the time and she didn't like not being able to prescribe it!

The gel's back on the market here from memory. Not much use for a hangover, though.

echo beach

Ihaveanopinion wrote: »

It was released in Ireland. It was a great drug for pain relief.

Unfortunately it was withdrawn following the issues with cardiac complications - which, as it turned out, is an issue for all NSAIDs.

Aulin (Nimesulide) was another great one - withdrawn because of fulminant hepato-renal failure in a small group of susceptible patients. Loved that one for a hangover

Both Vioxx and Aulin were useful drugs. As you say, Vioxx adverse effects were no worse than other NSAIDs, but it was the widespread use in high doses for prolonged periods in unsuitable patients that caused all the problems and that overuse was driven by patient demand for a 'wonder drug'.
Same is true for Aulin (another brand name with 5 letters). Dangers were well known and often highlighted but it was still prescribed inappropriately. It was very useful for dental pain (and hangovers if you say so:)) and the risks of short-term use in healthy people are no greater than other similar drugs.

take everything

MYOB wrote: »

Was vioxx ever licensed for use here? Withdrawal happened before I'd have had any involvement in the hassle involved with one, but I'd never heard of its use here either way.

Yeah it was.
Remember a Rheumatologist in a hospital I worked in thinking it was the bees knees and prescribing nothing else.

take everything

echo beach wrote: »

I'd say anybody who studied pharmacology knew. The reason it isn't immediately obvious is that the system uses the end of the word, the suffix, while we are more used to naming systems that use the same start, or prefix, e.g iso- for equal.

Drug companies usually try to give their drugs a completely unpronounceable generic name but a snappy and memorable brand name.

In fairness, I don't ever remember anyone e
going through the etymology of drugs in the pharm module of my degree. Always baffled me where the names came from anyway.

Tree

The etymology of antibody based therapies is kinda straightforward, the suffixes say what sort of antibody they are. -umab is a human antibody, -izumab is a humanised antibody, and -omab is a mouse antibody and so on, it's fascinating.

nesf

MrCreosote wrote: »

Apparently efficacy is increased by the number of 'z's, 'x's and 'v's they can cram into the brand name.

Vioxx is still my favourite- no point for the double 'x' at the end except for awesomeness.

My personal favourite is Abilify for an antipsychotic. Subtlety? Nah.

palmcut

nesf wrote: »

My personal favourite is Abilify for an antipsychotic. Subtlety? Nah.

Nah, the best is called "Laxido". (Generic of Movicol)

nesf

palmcut wrote: »

Nah, the best is called "Laxido". (Generic of Movicol)

Ah but does Laxido have "Sudden Unexplained Death" as a side effect?

echo beach

One I've never understood is Cordarone X. What is the X for?

L1011

X/XR/XL is usually a marketing term for a sustained release drug or packaging (e.g. enteric coated pellets)

I have no idea if it means that for that drug though.