Chemical elements, salts and acids
In pharmaceutical terminology, the names of chemical compounds are formed according to clear rules. The names of acids (Acidum) always consist of a noun and an agreeing adjective:
- acidum benzoicum — benzoic acid
- acidum hydrochloricum — hydrochloric acid
- acidum dioxybenzoicum (or dihydroxybenzoicum) — dioxybenzoic acid
- acidum iopanoicum — iopanoic acid
- acidum lipoicum — lipoic acid
- acidum ascorbinicum — ascorbic acid
When translating the names of salts, the cation (element name) is usually placed first in the genitive case, and the anion second in the nominative case. It is important to distinguish oxidation states, which are reflected in the suffixes:
- Natrii thiosulfas (sodium thiosulfate)
- Calcii glycerophosphas (calcium glycerophosphate)
- Natrii sulfis (sodium sulfite)
- Natrii sulfidum (sodium sulfide)
- Aethylii chloridum (ethyl chloride)
- Aluminii hydroxydum (aluminum hydroxide)
Complex names are also encountered, such as Thiopentalum-natrium (thiopental sodium) or Coffeinum-natrii benzoas (caffeine sodium benzoate).
Synthetic drugs and antibiotics
Most names of synthetic drugs and natural metabolites in Latin are structured as second-declension neuter nouns with the ending -um.
Synthetic and other drugs include:
- Benzohexonium (benzohexonium)
- Phenobarbitalum (phenobarbital)
- Hydrocortisonum (hydrocortisone)
- Diazolinum (diazoline)
- Mentholum (menthol)
- Nitroglycerinum (nitroglycerin)
- Aminazinum (aminazine)
Antibiotics form a large group whose names often indicate their origin or chemical structure. Typical examples:
- Penicillin series: Ampicillinum, Oxacillinum, Benzylpenicillinum.
- Tetracyclines: Tetracyclinum, Morphocyclinum, Oxytetracyclinum, Doxycyclinum.
- Macrolides and other groups: Erythromycinum, Oleandomycinum, Streptomycinum, Monomycinum, Rifamycinum, Sisomycinum.
Dosage forms
Pharmaceutical substances are produced in various physical states, which is necessarily reflected in the Latin name.
Solid forms:
- Tablets (Tabulettae): Tabulettae Dichlothiazidi (dichlorothiazide tablets).
- Coated tablets (Tabulettae obductae): Tabulettae acidi lipoici obductae.
- Dragees (Dragee): Dragee Diazolini.
- Granules (Granula): Granula Natrii para-aminosalicylatis.
Liquid forms:
- Solutions (Solutio): Solutio Nitroglycerini.
- Oily solutions (Solutio oleosa): Solutio Camphorae oleosa.
- Spirituous solutions (Solutio spirituosa): Solutio Gramicidini spirituosa.
- Tinctures (Tinctura): Tinctura Eucalypti, Tinctura Convallariae, Tinctura Crataegi, Tinctura Hyperici.
- Infusions (Infusum): Infusum florum Chamomillae.
- Fluid extracts (Extractum fluidum): Extractum Adonidis vernalis fluidum, Extractum Urticae fluidum.
Soft and other forms:
- Ointments (Unguentum): Unguentum Hydrocortisoni, Unguentum Hydrargyri oxydi flavi.
- Liniments (Linimentum): Linimentum chloroformii compositum.
- Aerosols (Aërosolum): Aërosolum "Oxycort".
Medicinal herbal raw materials
The names of plant-based drugs often use terms denoting a specific morphological part of the plant.
Examples of translation of raw materials and herbal mixtures:
- Foxglove leaf — Folium Digitalis
- Valerian rhizome with roots — Rhizoma cum radicibus Valerianae
- Chamomile flowers — flores Chamomillae (as part of an infusion: Infusum florum Chamomillae)
- Cardiac herbal mixture — Species cardiacae
- Pheasant's eye — Adonis vernalis (in nominative case)
Briefly: answers to topical questions
How are the suffixes of salt anions translated depending on the oxidation state?
In Latin names of oxoacid salts, the choice of the anion suffix depends on the element's oxidation state. The Latin suffix -as corresponds to the Russian -at and is used for the highest oxidation state. The Latin suffix -is corresponds to the Russian -it for a lower oxidation state. Anions of hydracids contain the suffix -id-um, which corresponds to the suffix -id in Russian nomenclature.
- Suffix for the highest oxidation state (-as) — corresponds to the Russian -at
- Suffix for the lower oxidation state (-is) — corresponds to the Russian -ite
- Suffix of hydracids (-id-um) — corresponds to the Russian -id
How are Latin names of oxides, peroxides, and hydroxides formed?
Latin names of oxides, peroxides, and hydroxides consist of two words. The first word is the name of the chemical element in the Genitive case, acting as an non-concordant attribute. The second word is a group name and declines: oxydum means oxide, peroxydum means peroxide, and hydroxydum means hydroxide. The root segment -oxy- indicates the presence of oxygen in the compound.
- Oxide (oxydum, i n) — name of the element in Gen. sing. + oxydum
- Peroxide (peroxydum, i n) — name of the element in Gen. sing. + peroxydum
- Hydroxide (hydroxydum, i n) — name of the element in Gen. sing. + hydroxydum
To avoid confusing salt suffixes, remember: the Russian "-it" changes to the Latin "-is" (sulfite — sulfis), and the Russian "-id" changes to "-idum" (sulfide — sulfidum).
Class and exam questions
How to correctly translate "ether for narcosis"?
In Latin, this is translated as Aether pro narcosi.
What is the difference between translations of "soluble" in drug names?
The neuter adjective solubile is used because drug names (e.g., Norsulfazolum or Saluzidum) are neuter: Norsulfazolum solubile.
How to translate "Dibazol with papaverine"?
The preposition "with" is translated as cum and requires the Ablative case. Correct option: Dibazolum cum Papaverino.
What else to study on this topic
- Hormonal preparations and their nomenclature (Dimoestrolum, Synoestrolum, Aethinyloestradiolum)
- Complex combination drugs (Cortomycetin, Phosphalugel)
- Specific extract forms (e.g., dry extracts — Extractum siccum)
- Names of vitamin substances (Thiamini mononitras)
- Synthetic analgesics and anesthetics (Anaesthesinum, Tramadolum, Aethylmorphinum)
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Other topics in the section "Termino-element Vocabulary (from meaning to TE)"
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