What is a Prescription?
Prescription is a written order from a registered medical practitioner, or other properly licensed practitioners, such as dentist, veterinarian etc. to a pharmacist to compound and dispense a specific medication for the patient.
Prescription is a media through which treatment is provided for a patient by the combined skill and services of both the physician and the Pharmacist.
The prescriptions are generally written in English language but Latin words and abbreviations are frequently used in order to save time. So it becomes necessary for a pharmacist, to become familiar with the common Latin terms and abbreviations used by the prescriber while writing the prescription.
| Latin Term | Abbreviation | Meaning in English |
|---|---|---|
| Kinds Of The Preparation | ||
| Auristille | auristill | Ear drops |
| Capsula | caps | A capsule |
| Cataplasma | cataplasm | A poultice |
| Charta | chart | A powder |
| Collutorium | collut | A mouthwash |
| Collyrium | collyr | An eye wash |
| Cremor | crem | A cream |
| Emulsio | emul | An emulsion |
| Haustous | ht | A drought |
| Injectis | inj | An injection |
| Insufflatio | insuff | An insufflation |
| Linctus | lin | A linctus |
| Linimentum | lin | A liniment |
| Liquor | liq | A solution |
| Lotio | lot | A lotion |
| Mistura | m, mist | A mistura |
| Naristillae | narist | Nasal drops |
| Nebula | neb | A spray solution |
| Pasta | past | A paste |
| Pitula | pil | A pill |
| Pulvis | pulv | Powder |
| Solutio | sol | A solution |
| Suppositorium | suppos | A suppository |
| Tabella | tab | A tablet |
| Unguentum | ung | An ointment |
| Method of administration or application | ||
| Addendus | addend | To be added |
| Applicandus | applicand | To be applied |
| Applicat | applicat | let (him) apply |
| Capiendus | capiend | To be taken |
| Dandus | dand | to be given |
| Deglutiendus | deglut | To be swallowed |
| Infricandus | infricand | To be subbed in |
| Inhaletur | inhal | Let (it) be inhaled |
| Miscendus | miscend | To be mixed |
| Signa | sin | Label |
| Sumendus | S, sum | To be taken |
| Utendus | U, utend | To be used |
| Time of administration | ||
| Semel in die | sem in die | Once a day |
| Bis in die, bis die | b.i.d, b.d. | Twice a day |
| Ter in die | t.i.d., t.d. | Three times a day |
| Quarter in die | q.i.d., q.d. | For times a day |
| Sexies in die | sex.i.d. | Six times a day |
| Primo mane | prim. m | Early in the morning |
| Mane | m | In the morning |
| Omni mane | o.m. | every morning |
| Omni nocte | o.n. | Every night |
| Inter nocte, Inter noctem | inter nocte | During the night |
| Nocte | n | At night |
| Jentaculum | jentac | Breakfast |
| Nocte et mane | n.et.m | Night and morning |
| Nocte maneque | n.m. | Night and morning |
| Omni hora | o.h. | every hour |
| Omni quarta hora | o.q.h. | every fourth hour |
| Singulis horis | sing. hora | Every hour |
| Alternis horis | alt. hor. | Every two hours |
| Tertis horis | tert. hor. | Every three hours |
| Quartis horis | quart. hor. | Every four hours |
| Sextis horis | sext. hor. | Every six hours |
| Anti cibos | a.c. | before meals |
| Post cibos | p.c. | after meals |
| Inter cibos | i.c. | Between meals |
| Dolore urgente | dol.urg. | when the pain is severe |
| Frequenter | freq | Frequently |
| Lente | lente | slowly |
| More dicto, Mode dicto | m.d. | As directed |
| Si opus sit | s.o.s. | when required or when necessary |
| Statim | stat. | Immediately |
| Tussi urgent | tuss. urg. | When the cough is troublesome |
| Vehicle used and means of application | ||
| Cochleare magnum | coch mag | One tablespoonful |
| Cochleare amplum | coch amp | One tablespoonful |
| Cochleare maximum | coch max | One tablespoonful |
| Cochleare medium | coch. med. | One dessertspoonful |
| Cochleare minimum | coch. min. | One teaspoonful |
| Cum | c | with |
| cum duplo | c. dup. | With twice as much |
| Cum parte aequale | c. pt. aeq. | with and equal quantity |
| Cum tanto | c. tant | with as much |
| Cyathus amplus | cyath. amp. | A tumbler |
| Cyathus magnus | cyath. mag. | A tumbler |
| Cyathus vinosus | cyath. vin. | A wine glass |
| E.lacte | e. lact. | with milk |
| Ex.aqua | ex. aq. | With water |
| Latin terms for parts of the body | ||
| Auris dexter | a.d. | To right ear |
| Auris laevus | a.l. | To left ear |
| Brachis | brach. | To the body |
| Jugulo | jug. | To the throat |
| Naso | naso | to the nose |
| Oculis dexter | o.d. | To right eye |
| Oculis laevus | o.l. | To left eye |
| Os, oris | o.s. | to mouth |
| Pro oculus | pro. ocul. | For the Eyes |
| Sterno | stern | To the chest |
| More latin terms | ||
| Ad | ad. | To, uto |
| Ana | aa | of each |
| Ante | a | before |
| Aqua | aq | Water |
| Aqua distillata | aq. dest. | Distilled water |
| Cibos | cibos | meals, food |
| Fiat | ft. | Make, let it be made |
| Gutta, guttae | gtt. | A drop, drops |
| Hora | h | an hour |
| Laevo | l | Left |
| Misce | m | mix, let it be mixed |
| Mitte | mitt. | Send |
| Mitte tales | mitt tal | send such |
| More dicto | m. dict. | In the manner prescribed |
| Omni | omn | every |
| Pro dosi | As a dose | |
| Quantum sufficiat | q.s. | as much as sufficient |
| Recipe | Rx | Take |
| Semi | ss | Half |
| Solve | dissolve | |
| Talis, tales | tal | such |
| Latin terms for Numerals | ||
| Latin Term | Roman Symbol | Meaning in English |
| Unus | I | One |
| Duo | II | Two |
| Tres | III | Three |
| Quatuor | IV | Four |
| Quinque | V | Five |
| Sex | VI | Six |
| Septem | VII | Seven |
| Octe | VIII | Eight |
| Novem | IX | Nine |
| Decem | X | Ten |
| Undecim | XI | eleven |
| Duodecim | XII | Twelve |
| Quantuordecim | XIV | Fourteen |
| Quindecim | XV | Fifteen |
| Viginti | XX | Twenty |
| Quinguaginta | L | Fifty |
| Centum | C | One Hundred |
