Antibiotics are essential weapons against infectious diseases, but with a vast array of antibiotic names to remember, healthcare professionals and students often find themselves grappling with a complex nomenclature. Learn the key to mastering this linguistic challenge: understanding antibiotic stem names.
So, what’s in a name? For antibiotics it’s mice, cycles, oxen and chefs! Who knew? Check out this infographic below to help you learn antibiotic stem names:
Antibiotic Stem Names
-mycin
Antibiotics ending in ‘-mycin’ (eg. erythromycin, gentamicin) typically belong to the aminoglycoside or macrolide classes. They inhibit protein synthesis in bacteria.
-cycline
Antibiotics ending in ‘-cycline’ (eg. tetracycline, doxycycline) are tetracyclines that interfere with protein synthesis and are used to treat a wide range of bacterial infections.
-thromycin
Antibiotics ending in ‘-thromycin’ (eg. azithromycin, clarithromycin) are macrolides that inhibit protein synthesis in bacteria.
-floxacin
Antibiotics ending in ‘-floxacin'(eg. ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin) belong to the fluoroquinolone class. they inhibit DNA gyrase and topoisomerase, disrupting DNA replication and repair in bacteria.
-cef
The antibiotic stem ‘-cef’ represents a specific class of antibiotics known as cephalosporins. Cephalosporins are a group of beta-lactam antibiotics closely related to penicillins in terms of their structure and mechanism of action.
