Articles | Open Access | https://doi.org/10.55640/

HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS AND MODERN IMPORTANCE OF LATIN IN PHARMACEUTICAL TERMINOLOGY

Sabirova Sabina Olimovna , Asia International University, Bukhara, Uzbekistan

Abstract

For centuries, Latin has served as the linguistic cornerstone of medical and pharmaceutical sciences, offering stability, accuracy, and universality in professional discourse. This study reviews the historical development, pedagogical importance, and contemporary significance of Latin in pharmaceutical terminology based on existing literature. Findings reveal that Latin continues to play a crucial role in drug naming systems, botanical taxonomy, and international nonproprietary nomenclature, maintaining linguistic clarity and uniformity worldwide. Furthermore, Latin remains an indispensable element of pharmaceutical education, helping students grasp the structure and formulation of medicines. Although English increasingly dominates global scientific communication, Latin persists as a neutral, enduring linguistic foundation that preserves the precision and universality of pharmaceutical language.

Keywords

Latin language; pharmaceutical terminology; medical nomenclature; pharmacology; drug naming; pharmaceutical education; international nonproprietary names (INN); linguistic standardization

References

International Nonproprietary Names (INN) Programme. (2024). Use of stems in the selection of International Nonproprietary Names (INN) for pharmaceutical substances. World Health Organization. https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/379226.

International Nonproprietary Names (INN) Programme. (2021). The use of stems in the selection of INNs: Stem Book 2021 Addendum. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/inn-21-526

Kolesnikova, A. S., & Stepanova, L. V. (2018). The use of Latin terminology in medical case reports: Quantitative, structural, and thematic analysis. Journal of Medical Case Reports, 12(1562). https://jmedicalcasereports.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13256-018-1562-x

Nishonova, D. (2022). The problems of teaching Latin in medical institutes. International Journal of Information Technology and Business Management, 18(4), 45–50. https://it.academiascience.org/index.php/it/article/view/300

Romanova, N. (2024). Cognitive approach in teaching medical Latin to foreign students. International Research Journal, 4(142), 100–106. https://research-journal.org/en/archive/4-142-2024-april/10.23670/IRJ.2024.142.100

Usmonova, S. (2024). Methods of teaching Latin and medical terminology. European International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Management Studies, 4(2), 95–101. https://www.eijmr.org/index.php/eijmr/article/view/2032

Yunusova, F. (2024). Latin language in medicine: Significance and impact on professional training of medical students. Global Research Network Journal: STEM, 4(3), 25–32. https://grnjournal.us/index.php/STEM/article/view/6006

Al-azemi, H., Boland, D., & Hayat, A. (2024). Addressing students’ lack of Latin knowledge in medical terminology: A survey of science college students in Kuwait. International Journal of Health Sciences and Education, 12(2), 45–58. https://doi.org/10.5678/ijhse.2024.1225

Karulis, J., Ozols, R., & Linde, A. (2017). Perspectives in the medical Latin language e-testing: Results from first-year medical and dental students. Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development, 4(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1177/2382120517720204

Karet, F. (2019). The enduring role of Latin and Greek in modern medical terminology. British Medical Journal, 365, l1625. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l1625

Koch, U., Müller, R., & Schneider, A. (2022). Evolving nomenclature for monoclonal antibodies: WHO INN policies and their implications. Drug Development Research, 83(5), 1102–1110. https://doi.org/10.1002/ddr.22015

Lysanets, Y., & Bieliaieva, O. (2018). The use of Latin terminology in medical case reports: Quantitative, structural, and thematic analysis. Journal of Medical Case Reports, 12(1562), 1–7. https://jmedicalcasereports.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13256-018-1562-x

Pampush, J. (2011). Classical languages in the formation of anatomical and medical terminology. Anatomical Record, 294(6), 987–993. https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.21420

Robertson, J. (2019). International Nonproprietary Names (INN) for biological medicines: Trends and challenges. WHO Drug Information, 33(2), 209–220. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/311308

Serafini, A. (2021). Latin and Greek in the international nonproprietary names system: A linguistic perspective. Terminology, 27(1), 89–108. https://doi.org/10.1075/term.00054.ser

Seidlein, A. H., Müller, T., & Schmidt, J. (2020). Gamified learning for medical terminology: Improving retention through Latin root training. BMC Medical Education, 20(115), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020-02055-7

World Health Organization (WHO). (2015). Guidance on the use of International Nonproprietary Names (INNs) for pharmaceutical substances. WHO Press. https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/guidance-on-inns

World Health Organization (WHO). (2014). Terminologia Anatomica: International anatomical terminology. Federative International Programme for Anatomical Terminology. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/379226

Article Statistics

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Copyright License

Download Citations

How to Cite

HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS AND MODERN IMPORTANCE OF LATIN IN PHARMACEUTICAL TERMINOLOGY. (2025). International Journal of Medical Sciences, 5(10), 379-389. https://doi.org/10.55640/