The Question of Prodrug Naming

Abstract

Prodrug is a term used to define a pharmacologically inactive chemical entity that can be used to temporarily alter the physicochemical properties of a drug to increase its usefulness and decrease its associated toxicity. According to the definition, the inactive prodrug converts to its active parent drug and a non-toxic linker upon exposure to a physiological environment. Albert stated in his Selective Toxicity book, that the term prodrug is incorrect and should be replaced with the term predug. He apologized for having invented the term, however, now it is too widely used to alter.