So you’re looking for a viagra alternative, and you’ve come across the term ‘pharmaceutical name’. What does that mean, and what are the differences between the different versions? Let’s explore.
The Basics
A pharmaceutical name is the chemical name of a drug or vitamin used in medicine, and it is usually derived from the name of the company that produced it. In the case of viagra, the pharmaceutical name is sildenafil citrate, and it was produced by pharmachemical company PWS (Pfizer Worldwide Solutions). Here’s a short primer on the basics of pharmaceutical naming:
Derived From What?
To derive a pharmaceutical name from a given name, one starts with the first name, and then adds a series of suffixes or prefixes to the beginning of the first name. In the case of viagra, the first name is’sildenafil’, so the chemical name of the drug is’sildenafil citrate’. The suffix ‘-enafil’ (the ‘-ate’ is unstressed) is added onto the beginning of the first name to create the pharmaceutical name. One way of looking at this is that sildenafil citrate is a form of the drug sildenafil, which is itself a modification of the drug substance vildenafil.
What’s It Mean?
The addition of a suffix or prefix to a first name is meant to impart a sense of meaning to the combination. For example, we could combine the name ‘Sue’ with the prefix ‘-cyto’ to create a new name ‘Sue-cyto’, which combines the meaning ‘bio-cytolytic’ with ‘Sue’. In addition to adding a meaning, the prefixes and suffixes can also be used to change the pronunciation of a word. For example, you can pronounce the ‘-cyto’ part of ‘Sue-cyto’ as’see-tee’ rather than’see-toe’. The result is that the new name has a different pronunciation than the original word, even though the spelling is the same. This can be quite the mouthful, so companies try to avoid using it when naming drugs. As a general rule, if you encounter a word that already has a meaning, you are probably safe in using it in a pharmaceutical context. For example,’sodium’ is an abbreviation for’sodium chloride’, and it has the same pronunciation and spelling regardless of what chemical name you use it in. The same goes for ‘ampho’ and ‘phenyl’ in organic chemistry. These are a few of the more common examples.
Why Do Drug Companies Do This?
The main reason drug companies do this is so that if you are ever asked about the chemical name of a medication you are taking, you can simply tell the truth and not have to think about it. As previously mentioned, if you are taking an established medication with known side effects, you can bet that your doctor will periodically check for drugs in your system, especially if you are taking multiple medications. This is where the presence of an abbreviation or acronym can help. Even if you have never heard of an ‘-ate’ suffix or ‘-cyto’ prefix, you will probably know what they mean when they’re used in conjunction with your medication. Even better, this can sometimes be helpful in simplifying lengthy drug names, which can be a pain to write out.
Another Thing to Know
If you ever encounter a pharmaceutical name that you haven’t heard of before, it’s a good idea to look it up on a quick web search. This is because whenever you encounter a new chemical name, especially one you haven’t heard of before, there is a chance that it could be a sign of an emerging threat. The best example of this is mephedrino, which was the brand name for the drug methylphenidate back in the 1990s. This is an FDA-approved medication which is used to treat ADHD, and it was initially approved under the brand name ‘Mephedrino’. During its initial approval process, FDA doctors warned that mephedrino was potentially addictive and might cause neuropsychiatric side effects. Sadly, this was not an isolated incident, and many drugs which have since been approved by the FDA have had a less than desirable track record. If you’re curious, you can find a list of all FDA-approved medications here.
Finally, The Differences
Viagra is the best-selling prescription medication of all time. It was originally approved in the United Kingdom in 1998 and is used to treat erectile dysfunction. The most common side effect is hypotension (low blood pressure). Since its approval, there have been over 100 medications which have been approved as alternatives to viagra, including cialis, avana, and vardenafil. All of these are chemically similar to viagra, the main difference being their side effect profiles. These are sometimes more desirable, and sometimes less so. For example, the side effect profile of avana is slightly different than that of viagra, but it is still an effective medication for erectile dysfunction. You can read a more in-depth analysis of the differences among these medications here. Many generics are also available for viagra, including sildenafil citrate, which is commonly known as ‘generic viagra’.