Easy To Remember Pharmacology Mnemonics (With Pictures)

OBLIVION — is what comes to my mind when I think of Pharmacology. For a medical student, there is no pain greater than having to study this subject which often times feels like memorizing a whole dictionary. The study sessions are mind-numbing, the drugs sound funny (i.e Betablockers end with LOL), and everything is so volatile that it makes you question the integrity of your mental health. You feel like you’re suffering from short term memory loss. 😀

It is a subject that gets mixed up inside your brain even by listening people discussing drugs.

This blog post is an effort dedicated to making Pharmacology easier (just a bit) and fun (quite unlikely) by the use of mnemonics. Mnemonics are a great way to help ease the pressure on your nerves and they can be very helpful for remembering drug names and their side effects.

Funny and Easy to Remember Pharmacology Mnemonics

Personally, I find majority of the pre-existing Pharmacology mnemonics boring as they consist of redundant riddles. And ironically some were even harder to memorize than the drug itself. 😀 So, I always tried making mnemonics of my own and it worked because my brain works on a higher dimension of creativity while studying. 😀

I’d like to thank my esteemed colleagues, the batch of 2013-14 from Bolan Medical College, Quetta (Pakistan) who also contributed to this blog post.

Here are funny and interesting Pharmacology Mnemonics which we hope you will find useful while studying this subject. 🙂

CREDIT: Aurangzaib Baloch (batch 2013-14, Bolan Medical College, Quetta)

Mnemonic For Anti Tuberculosis Drugs

SERI-Paye (A South-Asian food with key ingredients like trotters (or hoof) of a goat, buffalo or sheep)

S= Streptomycin
E= Ethambutol
R= Rifampicin
I= Isoniazid
P= Pyrazinamide

Mnemonic for Adverse Effects of Cephalosporins

Cephalosporins are “BAD-S” (ass).

B= Bleeding due to anti vitamin-K activity
A= Allergic Manifestations
D= Disulfiram-like effect
S= Serum Sickness

Mnemonic for Adverse Effects of Aminoglycosides

Aminoglycosides have “NANO” particles.

N= Neurotoxicity
A= Allergic Manifestations
N= Nephrotoxicity
O= Ototoxicity (irreversible)

Mnemonic for Adverse Effects of Anti-Fungal Drugs

Saltish “NAAN” causes “HTN” (hypertension).

N= Neurological Problems
A= Aplastic Anemia in patients with G6PD deficiency
A= Allergic Manifestations
N= Nephrotoxicity

H= Heptotoxicity
T= Thromobocytopenia
N= *nothing, sorry* 😀

Mnemonics for Adverse Effects of Beta Blockers

“BALD FISH”.

B= Bronchoconstriction
B= Bradycardia
A= Arrhythmias
L= Lethargy
D= Disturbance in Glucose Metabolism

F= Fatigue
I= Insomnia
S= Sexual Dysfunction
H= Hypotension

 

Mnemonic for Adverse Effects of Sulfonamides

Sulfonamides have lost their “KaCHHA” (Kachha is for underwear in Hindi)

K= Kernicetrus
C= Crystalluria
H= Haemolytic Anemia
H= Hypertension
A= Allergic Manifestations

 

Mnemonic for Adverse Effects Fluroquinolones

“Ta-Da” : Indicates an impressive entrance or a dramatic announcement

Fluroquinolones say “TA-DAa”!

T= Tendon Rupture
A= Allergic Manifestation
D= Dizziness & Diarrhea
A= Aplastic Anemia

Mnemonic for Inducers of Cytochrome P-450

“BERPing” (real word is “burp”)

B= Barbiturates
E= Ethanol
R= Rifampicin
P= Phenytoin

Mnemonic for Inhibitors of Cytochrome P-450

“C.I.A visits D.C“.

C= Cimetadine
I= Isoniazid
A= Alluprinol

D= Disulfiram
C= Chloramphenicol

CREDIT: Dr. Yasir Amir Baloch (MBBS, MRCP-UK)

Mnemonic for Pre-Anesthetic Drugs

“OBAMA”

O= Opoids
B= Barbiturates & Benzodiazpenes
A= Anti-Histamines
M= Muscle Relaxants
A= Anti-Cholinergics

CREDIT: Shaher Bano | Batch: 2013-14 | MBBS

Mnemonic for Selective Alpha-1 Blockers (Adrenergic Antagonists / Sympatholytics)

“TIghT TAPDh” (meaning: tight slap)

T= Terazosin
I= Indoramine
T= Tamsulosin

T= Trimazosin
A= Alfuzosin
P= Prazosin
D= Doxazosin

Mnemonic for Potassium Sparing Diuretics

“SEAT”

S= Spironolactone
E= Elperenone
A= Amiloride
T= Triamterene

Mnemonic for Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitor

“BAD M.D”

B= Brinzolamide
A: Acetazolamide
D= Dorzolamide

M= Methazolamide
D= Dicholorphenamide

Mnemonic for Beta Adrenergic Agonists used in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

“STAR”

S= Salmeterol
T= Terbutaline
A= Albuterol
R= Ritodrine

Mnemonic for Parenteral Anti-Coagulants

“HEAD”

H= Heparin
E= Enoxaprin
A= Argatroban
D= Dalteparin

CREDIT: Taqqadus Khan | Batch: 2013-14, BMC | MBBS

Mnemonic for Drugs following Zero-Order Kinetics

“Peas & WHEAT“

P= Phenytoin / Phenylbutazone

W= Warfarin
H= Heparin
E= Ethanol
A= Asprin
T= Theophylline / Tolbutamide

 

CREDIT: Sagheer Ahmad Tareen | Batch: 2013-14, BMC | MBBS

Mnemonic Drugs Used in Migraine

“TEA”

T= Triptans (5HT1-D Receptor Partial Agonists)
E= Ergotamine (5HT2 Receptor Partial Agonist)
A= Analgesics

 

Credit: Abeera Tareen | Batch: 2013-14, BMC | MBBS

Mnemonic for Mono Amine Oxidase Inhibitors

“PISTol“

P= Phenelzine
I= Isocarboxazid
S= Selegiline
T= Tranylcypromine

 

Credit: Sadia Idrees | Batch: 2013-14, BMC | MBBS

Mnemonic for Side Effects of Aspirin

“ASPIRIN”

A= Asthma
S= Salicyalism
P= Peptic Ulcer
I= Intestinal Blood Loss
R= Reye’s Syndrome
I= Idiosyncracy
N= Noise (Tinnitus)

“MORPHINE”

M= Miosis
O= Orthostatic Hypotension
R= Respiratory Depression
P= Pain Suppression
H= Histamine Release
I= Infrequency (constipation etc)
N= Nausea
E= Euphoria
S= Sedation

 

That’s it! 🙂

We hope you find this article useful while studying Pharmacology. If you have created Pharmacology mnemonics of your own then please drop us your mnemonics below in the comment box and we will publish them here next to your name. 🙂