Jul 11, 2018
Tony asked
Our professor mentioned SI conversions and gave us an example of a person who received a lethal dose of phenobarbital due to a conversion error. I know what a barbiturate is, however I hear the term "pheno" as a prefix to a variety of compounds. What exactly does "pheno" mean or indicate about a compound?
Answer
The prefix "pheno" simply refers to a drug compound that is derived from benzene. If you look at the chemical structure for phenobarbital, you will notice that it contains a benzene ring. Other "pheno" compounds include:
- Phenol
- Phenolsulfonic Acid
- Phenooxybenzamine
- Diphenoxylate
Benzene ring:
Phenobarbital:
