Usan stem pril angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors?

What does “USAN stem” mean for naming drugs?

USAN (United States Adopted Name) stems are standardized word parts used to name active pharmaceutical ingredients. They help group drugs by class. For angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors), the USAN stem identifies the chemical class members.

What USAN stem is used for angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors?

Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors use the USAN stem -pril.

Examples of ACE inhibitors that end with “-pril”

Common ACE inhibitors are named with the -pril ending, such as:
- captopril
- enalapril
- lisinopril
- ramipril
- benazepril
- fosinopril
- perindopril
- trandolapril

Why do many drugs in this class share the “-pril” ending?

USAN naming uses consistent stems to make drug families easier to recognize from the name alone. For ACE inhibitors, -pril is the class identifier, even though the rest of the name changes by molecule (and formulation/brand naming rules may differ).