This list includes 54 Medications that start with C that start with C, from “Calcitonin (salmon)” to “Cyproheptadine”. The selection spans many drug classes used for infections, pain, hormones, heart conditions, and mental health.
Medications that start with C are generic-name drugs beginning with the letter C, covering varied therapeutic areas. Ciprofloxacin, a widely known antibiotic, shows how one letter includes vital, commonly used medicines.
Below you’ll find the table with Generic name, Drug class, Primary use, and Common side effects.
Generic name: Shows the standard drug name so you can identify the medicine regardless of brand or packaging.
Drug class: Tells you the therapeutic group so you understand the medicine’s general action and related treatments.
Primary use: Summarizes the main conditions the medication treats to help you judge its typical purpose quickly.
Common side effects: Lists frequent adverse effects so you can spot common reactions and know what to discuss with providers.
Medications that start with C
| Medication | Brand names | Drug class | Common uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citalopram | Celexa | SSRI antidepressant | Depression, anxiety disorders |
| Ciprofloxacin | Cipro;Ciloxan (ophthalmic) | Fluoroquinolone antibiotic | Urinary, respiratory, skin infections |
| Clopidogrel | Plavix | Antiplatelet agent | Prevent stroke/MI after vascular events |
| Clonazepam | Klonopin;Rivotril | Benzodiazepine anticonvulsant | Seizures, panic disorder |
| Clonidine | Catapres;Kapvay | Alpha-2 agonist antihypertensive | Hypertension; ADHD adjunct |
| Carbamazepine | Tegretol;Carbatrol | Anticonvulsant/mood stabilizer | Epilepsy, bipolar disorder, neuralgia |
| Carvedilol | Coreg | Beta-blocker (nonselective) | Heart failure, hypertension |
| Celecoxib | Celebrex | COX-2 inhibitor NSAID | Arthritis, acute pain |
| Cephalexin | Keflex | First-generation cephalosporin | Skin, soft tissue, respiratory infections |
| Ceftriaxone | Rocephin | Third-generation cephalosporin | Severe infections, meningitis, gonorrhea |
| Cefuroxime | Ceftin;Zinacef | Second-generation cephalosporin | Respiratory, skin infections |
| Cefepime | Maxipime | Fourth-generation cephalosporin | Hospital-acquired infections, Pseudomonas |
| Cefdinir | Omnicef | Third-generation oral cephalosporin | Respiratory infections |
| Clarithromycin | Biaxin | Macrolide antibiotic | Respiratory infections, H. pylori |
| Clindamycin | Cleocin | Lincosamide antibiotic | Skin, bone, anaerobic infections |
| Clotrimazole | Lotrimin;Canesten | Topical antifungal | Dermal and vulvovaginal fungal infections |
| Cyclobenzaprine | Flexeril | Muscle relaxant | Acute muscle spasm |
| Cyclosporine | Neoral;Sandimmune;Restasis (ophthalmic) | Calcineurin inhibitor immunosuppressant | Transplant rejection prevention, autoimmune diseases, dry eye |
| Cyclophosphamide | Cytoxan | Alkylating chemotherapy agent | Various cancers, autoimmune disorders |
| Cisplatin | Platinol | Platinum chemotherapy agent | Solid tumors (e.g., testicular, ovarian) |
| Carboplatin | Paraplatin | Platinum chemotherapy agent | Ovarian, lung and other cancers |
| Colchicine | Colcrys;Mitigare | Anti-gout agent | Gout flares; familial Mediterranean fever |
| Colesevelam | Welchol | Bile acid sequestrant | High cholesterol, glycemic control adjunct |
| Cholestyramine | Questran | Bile acid sequestrant | High cholesterol, pruritus from bile salts |
| Chlorthalidone | Thalitone | Thiazide-like diuretic | Hypertension, edema |
| Chlorpheniramine | Chlor-Trimeton | First-generation antihistamine | Allergic rhinitis, common cold |
| Cetirizine | Zyrtec | Second-generation antihistamine | Allergic rhinitis, urticaria |
| Ciclesonide | Alvesco;Omnaris | Inhaled corticosteroid | Asthma maintenance |
| Clozapine | Clozaril | Atypical antipsychotic | Treatment-resistant schizophrenia |
| Chlorpromazine | Thorazine | Typical antipsychotic | Psychosis, severe nausea |
| Clobetasol | Temovate | Potent topical corticosteroid | Severe eczema, psoriasis |
| Codeine | Various (e.g., Tylenol #3 combinations) | Opioid analgesic/antitussive | Mild-moderate pain, cough suppression |
| Calcitonin (salmon) | Miacalcin | Peptide hormone | Osteoporosis, hypercalcemia |
| Calcitriol | Rocaltrol | Active vitamin D | Hypocalcemia, renal osteodystrophy |
| Carbimazole | Various (e.g., Neomercazole) | Antithyroid drug | Hyperthyroidism |
| Chlorhexidine | Peridex;Hibiclens | Antiseptic/antimicrobial | Oral rinse, skin antisepsis |
| Cyanocobalamin | Cobolin-M;Nascobal | Vitamin B12 replacement | Vitamin B12 deficiency |
| Cetuximab | Erbitux | EGFR monoclonal antibody | Colorectal, head and neck cancers |
| Certolizumab pegol | Cimzia | Anti-TNF biologic | Rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease |
| Ceftaroline | Teflaro | Fifth-generation cephalosporin | Skin infections, MRSA (IV) |
| Capecitabine | Xeloda | Oral antimetabolite chemotherapy | Breast and colorectal cancer |
| Canagliflozin | Invokana | SGLT2 inhibitor | Type 2 diabetes mellitus |
| Cilostazol | Pletal | Phosphodiesterase inhibitor | Intermittent claudication |
| Cisatracurium | Nimbex | Neuromuscular blocking agent | Surgical paralysis during anesthesia |
| Clomipramine | Anafranil | Tricyclic antidepressant | Obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression |
| Clomiphene | Clomid;Serophene | Selective estrogen receptor modulator | Infertility (ovulation induction) |
| Cromolyn sodium | Intal | Mast cell stabilizer | Asthma prophylaxis, allergic conjunctivitis |
| Cyproheptadine | Periactin | First-generation antihistamine/antiserotonergic | Allergic symptoms, appetite stimulation |
| Candesartan | Atacand | Angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) | Hypertension, heart failure |
| Conjugated estrogens | Premarin | Estrogen hormone therapy | Menopausal symptoms, osteoporosis prevention |
| Crizotinib | Xalkori | ALK/ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor | ALK-positive lung cancer |
| Ceritinib | Zykadia | ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitor | ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer |
| Colistin (colistimethate) | Colomycin;Polymyxin E | Polymyxin antibiotic | Multidrug-resistant gram-negative infections |
| Cyclizine | Marezine | Antiemetic/antihistamine | Motion sickness, nausea |
Descriptions
Citalopram
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor for depression and anxiety; may cause nausea, insomnia, sexual side effects and dose-dependent QT prolongation.
Ciprofloxacin
Broad-spectrum antibiotic for many bacterial infections; risk of tendon injury, peripheral neuropathy and QT prolongation; avoid unnecessary use.
Clopidogrel
Inhibits platelet aggregation to reduce recurrent heart attack/stroke risk; increases bleeding risk and affected by CYP2C19 genetics.
Clonazepam
Long-acting benzodiazepine used for seizures and panic; sedation, cognitive impairment and dependence risk with long-term use.
Clonidine
Lowers blood pressure and reduces sympathetic tone; can cause dry mouth, drowsiness and rebound hypertension if stopped abruptly.
Carbamazepine
Used for seizures and trigeminal neuralgia; can cause rash, hyponatremia and enzyme induction; HLA-B*15:02 testing for some populations.
Carvedilol
Blocks beta and alpha receptors to lower BP and improve heart failure; may cause dizziness, bradycardia and bronchospasm in asthma.
Celecoxib
Selective NSAID for pain and inflammation with lower gastric risk than some NSAIDs but potential increased cardiovascular risk.
Cephalexin
Oral antibiotic commonly used for skin and respiratory infections; GI upset and possible cross-reactive allergy in penicillin-allergic patients.
Ceftriaxone
IV/IM broad-spectrum antibiotic used for serious infections; avoid in neonates with hyperbilirubinemia; biliary sludging reported.
Cefuroxime
Oral/IV antibiotic for respiratory and some systemic infections; GI upset and allergic reactions possible.
Cefepime
Broad-spectrum IV antibiotic for severe hospital infections; neurotoxicity risk in renal impairment.
Cefdinir
Oral antibiotic for sinusitis, bronchitis and ear infections; diarrhea and GI side effects possible.
Clarithromycin
Macrolide antibiotic used for respiratory infections and H. pylori therapy; notable CYP3A interactions and GI side effects.
Clindamycin
Effective for skin and anaerobic infections; associated with Clostridioides difficile colitis risk.
Clotrimazole
Over-the-counter topical antifungal for athlete’s foot, ringworm and yeast infections; local irritation possible.
Cyclobenzaprine
Short-term muscle relaxant for acute musculoskeletal spasm; causes drowsiness and anticholinergic effects.
Cyclosporine
Powerful immunosuppressant requiring blood level monitoring; nephrotoxicity and hypertension common.
Cyclophosphamide
Cytotoxic chemotherapy used in cancer and severe autoimmune disease; causes bone marrow suppression and risk of hemorrhagic cystitis.
Cisplatin
Effective chemotherapy with high risk of nephrotoxicity, ototoxicity and severe nausea requiring hydration and antiemetics.
Carboplatin
Related to cisplatin with more myelosuppression and less nephrotoxicity; requires blood count monitoring.
Colchicine
Used for acute gout and prevention; narrow therapeutic window with GI upset and toxicity at higher doses.
Colesevelam
Lowers LDL cholesterol and can modestly affect blood sugar; may cause constipation and bind other drugs.
Cholestyramine
Old-style cholesterol-lowering resin used for itching due to bile salts; major GI side effects and multiple drug interactions.
Chlorthalidone
Long-acting diuretic for blood pressure with risk of electrolyte disturbances and gout exacerbation.
Chlorpheniramine
Sedating antihistamine used for allergy symptoms and colds; can cause drowsiness and dry mouth.
Cetirizine
Less sedating antihistamine for allergies and hives though drowsiness can still occur in some people.
Ciclesonide
Inhaled steroid for asthma control; local thrush and hoarseness possible with poor inhaler technique.
Clozapine
Effective for refractory schizophrenia but requires regular blood monitoring due to severe agranulocytosis risk and metabolic effects.
Chlorpromazine
Older antipsychotic useful for psychosis and nausea; can cause sedation, extrapyramidal symptoms and anticholinergic effects.
Clobetasol
Very potent topical steroid for short-term control of inflammatory skin disease; risk of skin thinning with prolonged use.
Codeine
Opioid that relieves pain and cough; causes sedation, constipation and risk of dependence; metabolism varies with CYP2D6.
Calcitonin (salmon)
Used for osteoporosis and acute hypercalcemia; nasal/IM forms available; modest efficacy and potential nausea.
Calcitriol
Active form of vitamin D used in hypocalcemia and renal disease; monitor for hypercalcemia.
Carbimazole
Prodrug of methimazole used to treat hyperthyroidism; can cause agranulocytosis and liver enzyme abnormalities.
Chlorhexidine
Topical antiseptic for oral plaque control and skin cleansing; may stain teeth with prolonged oral use and cause irritation.
Cyanocobalamin
Common injectable/oral B12 used for deficiency; generally safe though injectable routes can cause local reactions.
Cetuximab
Targeted cancer therapy against EGFR; infusion reactions and skin rash are common; used under oncology supervision.
Certolizumab pegol
Biologic for inflammatory diseases; increases infection risk and requires screening for latent TB.
Ceftaroline
IV cephalosporin with activity against MRSA and common pathogens in skin infections; used in hospital settings.
Capecitabine
Oral prodrug of 5-FU with hand-foot syndrome and GI side effects; causes myelosuppression and needs oncology monitoring.
Canagliflozin
Lowers blood glucose via urinary glucose excretion; may increase risk of genital infections, dehydration and ketoacidosis in rare cases.
Cilostazol
Improves walking distance in peripheral artery disease; contraindicated in heart failure and can cause headache and palpitations.
Cisatracurium
Short-acting paralytic used in anesthesia with close monitoring; causes respiratory paralysis and requires ventilatory support.
Clomipramine
TCA effective for OCD and depression; anticholinergic effects, sedation and cardiovascular risks at higher doses.
Clomiphene
Oral agent to induce ovulation in infertility; may cause hot flashes and multiple pregnancy risk.
Cromolyn sodium
Prevents mediator release in allergic disease; modest benefit for asthma, used prophylactically, generally well tolerated.
Cyproheptadine
Sedating antihistamine with antiserotonergic effects; used off-label for appetite stimulation and to treat serotonin syndrome symptoms.
Candesartan
ARB for blood pressure and heart failure; generally well tolerated but contraindicated in pregnancy.
Conjugated estrogens
Mixture of estrogens used for menopausal symptoms; increased risk of thromboembolism and certain cancers with long-term use.
Crizotinib
Targeted therapy for ALK/ROS1-driven lung cancers; side effects include vision disturbances, nausea and hepatotoxicity.
Ceritinib
Oral targeted therapy for ALK-positive lung cancer; common GI side effects and hepatotoxicity.
Colistin (colistimethate)
Last-line antibiotic for resistant gram-negative infections; nephrotoxicity and neurotoxicity risks; used in serious infections.
Cyclizine
Antihistamine used for motion sickness and nausea; causes sedation and anticholinergic effects.