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Corticosteroids are a class of steroid hormone
Steroid hormone

Steroid hormones are steroids that act as hormones. Steroid hormones can be grouped into five groups by the receptor s to which they bind: glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, androgens, estrogens, and progestagens....
s that are produced in the adrenal cortex
Adrenal cortex

Situated along the perimeter of the adrenal gland, the adrenal cortex mediates the stress response through the production of mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids, including aldosterone and cortisol respectively....
. Corticosteroids are involved in a wide range of physiologic
Physiology

Physiology is the study of the mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions of living organisms. Physiology has traditionally been divided between plant physiology and animal and all living things physiology but the principles of physiology are universal, no matter what particular organism is being studied....
 systems such as stress response
Stress (medicine)

Stress is a biological term which refers to the consequences of the failure of a human or animal body to respond appropriately to emotional or body threats to the organism, whether actual or imagined....
, immune response
Immune system

An immune system is a collection of biological processes within an organism that protects against disease by identifying and killing pathogens and tumour cells....
 and regulation of inflammation
Inflammation

Inflammation is the complex biological response of Blood vessel tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. It is a protective attempt by the organism to remove the injurious stimuli as well as initiate the healing process for the tissue....
, carbohydrate
Carbohydrate

Carbohydrates or saccharides are the most abundant of the four major classes of biomolecules. They fill numerous roles in living things, such as the storage and transport of energy and structural components ....
 metabolism
Metabolism

Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that occur in living organisms in order to maintain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments....
, protein
Protein

Proteins are organic compounds made of amino acids arranged in a linear chain and joined together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of adjacent amino acid Residue ....
 catabolism
Catabolism

Catabolism is the set of metabolic pathways which break down molecules into smaller units and release energy. In catabolism, large molecules such as polysaccharides, lipids, nucleic acids and proteins are broken down into smaller units such as monosaccharides, fatty acids, nucleotides and amino acids, respectively....
, blood electrolyte
Electrolyte

An electrolyte is any substance containing free ions that behaves as an electrical conductor medium. Because they generally consist of ions in solution, electrolytes are also known as ionic solutions, but molten electrolytes and solid electrolytes are also possible....
 levels, and behavior.



Some common natural hormones are corticosterone
Corticosterone

Corticosterone is a 21 carbon steroid hormone of the corticosteroid type produced in the cortex of the adrenal glands....
 (C21H30O4), cortisone
Cortisone

Cortisone is a steroid hormone. Chemically, it is a corticosteroid closely related to corticosterone....
 (C21H28O5, 17-hydroxy-11-dehydrocorticosterone) and aldosterone.

Biosynthesis
The corticosteroids are synthesized from cholesterol
Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a lipidic, waxy alcohol found in the cell membranes and transported in the blood plasma of all animals. It is an essential component of mammalian cell membranes where it is required to establish proper membrane permeability and membrane fluidity....
 within the adrenal cortex
Adrenal cortex

Situated along the perimeter of the adrenal gland, the adrenal cortex mediates the stress response through the production of mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids, including aldosterone and cortisol respectively....
.






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Encyclopedia


Corticosteroids are a class of steroid hormone
Steroid hormone

Steroid hormones are steroids that act as hormones. Steroid hormones can be grouped into five groups by the receptor s to which they bind: glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, androgens, estrogens, and progestagens....
s that are produced in the adrenal cortex
Adrenal cortex

Situated along the perimeter of the adrenal gland, the adrenal cortex mediates the stress response through the production of mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids, including aldosterone and cortisol respectively....
. Corticosteroids are involved in a wide range of physiologic
Physiology

Physiology is the study of the mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions of living organisms. Physiology has traditionally been divided between plant physiology and animal and all living things physiology but the principles of physiology are universal, no matter what particular organism is being studied....
 systems such as stress response
Stress (medicine)

Stress is a biological term which refers to the consequences of the failure of a human or animal body to respond appropriately to emotional or body threats to the organism, whether actual or imagined....
, immune response
Immune system

An immune system is a collection of biological processes within an organism that protects against disease by identifying and killing pathogens and tumour cells....
 and regulation of inflammation
Inflammation

Inflammation is the complex biological response of Blood vessel tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. It is a protective attempt by the organism to remove the injurious stimuli as well as initiate the healing process for the tissue....
, carbohydrate
Carbohydrate

Carbohydrates or saccharides are the most abundant of the four major classes of biomolecules. They fill numerous roles in living things, such as the storage and transport of energy and structural components ....
 metabolism
Metabolism

Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that occur in living organisms in order to maintain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments....
, protein
Protein

Proteins are organic compounds made of amino acids arranged in a linear chain and joined together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of adjacent amino acid Residue ....
 catabolism
Catabolism

Catabolism is the set of metabolic pathways which break down molecules into smaller units and release energy. In catabolism, large molecules such as polysaccharides, lipids, nucleic acids and proteins are broken down into smaller units such as monosaccharides, fatty acids, nucleotides and amino acids, respectively....
, blood electrolyte
Electrolyte

An electrolyte is any substance containing free ions that behaves as an electrical conductor medium. Because they generally consist of ions in solution, electrolytes are also known as ionic solutions, but molten electrolytes and solid electrolytes are also possible....
 levels, and behavior.

  • Glucocorticoids such as cortisol
    Cortisol

    Cortisol is a corticosteroid hormone or glucocorticoid produced by the adrenal cortex, that is part of the adrenal gland . It is usually referred to as the "stress hormone" as it is involved in response to stress and anxiety, controlled by Corticotropin-releasing hormone....
     control carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism and are anti-inflammatory by preventing phospholipid
    Phospholipid

    File:Phospholipid.svgFile:phospholipid_structure.pngFile:Phosphatidyl-Choline.svgPhospholipids are a class of lipids and are a major component of all cell membranes....
     release, decreasing eosinophil
    Eosinophil granulocyte

    Eosinophil granulocytes, usually called eosinophils , are white blood cells that are one of the immune system components responsible for combating infection and parasites in vertebrates....
     action and a number of other mechanisms.
  • Mineralocorticoid
    Mineralocorticoid

    Mineralocorticoids are a class of steroid hormones characterised by their similarity to aldosterone and their influence on salt balance and water balance ....
    s     such as aldosterone
    Aldosterone

    Aldosterone is a hormone that increases the reabsorption of sodium and water and the release of potassium in the kidneys. This increases the volume of fluid in the body, and drives blood pressure up....
     control electrolyte and water levels, mainly by promoting sodium retention in the kidney
    Kidney

    The kidneys are Organ that have numerous biological roles. Their primary role is to maintain the homeostasis balance of bodily fluids by filtering and secreting Metabolomics#Metabolitess and minerals from the blood and excreting them, along with water , as urine....
    .


Some common natural hormones are corticosterone
Corticosterone

Corticosterone is a 21 carbon steroid hormone of the corticosteroid type produced in the cortex of the adrenal glands....
 (C21H30O4), cortisone
Cortisone

Cortisone is a steroid hormone. Chemically, it is a corticosteroid closely related to corticosterone....
 (C21H28O5, 17-hydroxy-11-dehydrocorticosterone) and aldosterone.

Biosynthesis


The corticosteroids are synthesized from cholesterol
Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a lipidic, waxy alcohol found in the cell membranes and transported in the blood plasma of all animals. It is an essential component of mammalian cell membranes where it is required to establish proper membrane permeability and membrane fluidity....
 within the adrenal cortex
Adrenal cortex

Situated along the perimeter of the adrenal gland, the adrenal cortex mediates the stress response through the production of mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids, including aldosterone and cortisol respectively....
. Most steroidogenic reactions are catalysed by enzymes of the cytochrome
Cytochrome

Cytochromes are, in general, membrane-bound hemoproteins that contain heme groups and carry out electron transport.They are found either as subunitss or as subunits of bigger enzymatic complexes that catalyze redox reactions....
 P450 family. They are located within the mitochondria and require adrenodoxin as a cofactor (except 21-hydroxylase and 17a-hydroxylase).

Aldosterone
Aldosterone

Aldosterone is a hormone that increases the reabsorption of sodium and water and the release of potassium in the kidneys. This increases the volume of fluid in the body, and drives blood pressure up....
 and corticosterone
Corticosterone

Corticosterone is a 21 carbon steroid hormone of the corticosteroid type produced in the cortex of the adrenal glands....
 share the first part of their biosynthetic pathway. The last part is either mediated by the aldosterone synthase
Aldosterone synthase

Aldosterone synthase is a steroid hydroxylase cytochrome P450 oxidase enzyme involved in the generation of aldosterone.It converts 11-deoxycorticosterone to corticosterone, to 18-hydroxycorticosterone, and finally to aldosterone:...
 (for aldosterone
Aldosterone

Aldosterone is a hormone that increases the reabsorption of sodium and water and the release of potassium in the kidneys. This increases the volume of fluid in the body, and drives blood pressure up....
) or by the 11ß-hydroxylase (for corticosterone
Corticosterone

Corticosterone is a 21 carbon steroid hormone of the corticosteroid type produced in the cortex of the adrenal glands....
). These enzymes are nearly identical (they share 11ß-hydroxylation and 18-hydroxylation functions). But aldosterone synthase is also able to perform an 18-oxidation. Moreover, aldosterone synthase is found within the zona glomerulosa
Zona glomerulosa

The zona glomerulosa of the adrenal gland is the most superficial layer of the adrenal cortex, lying directly beneath the adrenal gland's capsule....
 at the outer edge of the adrenal cortex
Adrenal cortex

Situated along the perimeter of the adrenal gland, the adrenal cortex mediates the stress response through the production of mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids, including aldosterone and cortisol respectively....
; 11ß-hydroxylase is found in the zona fasciculata and reticularis.

Classes of corticosteroids


Corticosteroids are generally grouped into four classes, based on chemical structure. Allergic reactions to one member of a class typically indicate an intolerance of all members of the class.

The highlighted steroids are often used in the screening of allergies to topical steroids.

Group A

(short to medium acting glucocorticoids) Hydrocortisone, Hydrocortisone acetate, Cortisone acetate, Tixocortol pivalate, Prednisolone, Methyprednisolone, and Prednisone.

Group B

Triamcinolone acetonide, Triamcinolone alcohol, Mometasone, Amcinonide, Budesonide, Desonide, Fluocinonide, Fluocinolone acetonide, and Halcinonide.

Group C

Betamethasone, Betamethasone sodium phosphate, Dexamethasone, Dexamethasone sodium phosphate, and Fluocortolone.

Group D

Hydrocortisone-17-butyrate, Hydrocortisone-17-valerate, Aclometasone dipropionate, Betamethasone valerate, Betamethasone dipropionate, Prednicarbate, Clobetasone-17-butyrate, Clobetasol-17-propionate, Fluocortolone caproate, Fluocortolone pivalate, and Fluprednidene acetate.

Types of Corticosteroids


1. Topical steroid
Topical steroid

Topical steroids are the topical forms of corticosteroids. Topical steroids are the most commonly prescribed topical medications for the treatment of rash, eczema, and dermatitis....
 for use topically on the skin, eye, and mucous membranes.

2. Inhaled steroids for use to treat the nasal mucosa, sinuses, bronchii, and lungs.

3. Oral forms - such as prednisone and prednisolone.

4. Systemic forms - available in injectibles for use intravenously and parenteral routes.

Uses

Synthetic drug
Medication

A pharmaceutical drug, also referred to as medicine or medicament, can be loosely defined as any substance intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease....
s with corticosteroid-like effect are used in a variety of conditions, ranging from brain tumor
Brain tumor

A brain tumor is an abnormal growth of cells within the brain or inside the skull, which can be cancerous or non-cancerous .It is defined as any cranium tumor created by abnormal and uncontrolled Mitosis, normally either in the brain itself , in the cranial nerves , in the brain envelopes , skull, pituitary and pineal gland, or spread from...
s to skin diseases. Dexamethasone
Dexamethasone

Dexamethasone is a potent synthetic member of the glucocorticoid class of steroid hormones. It acts as an anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drug....
 and its derivatives are almost pure glucocorticoids, while prednisone
Prednisone

Prednisone is a synthetic corticosteroid drug that is usually taken orally but can be delivered by intramuscular injection and can be used for a number of different conditions....
 and its derivatives have some mineralocorticoid action in addition to the glucocorticoid effect. Fludrocortisone
Fludrocortisone

Fludrocortisone is a synthetic corticosteroid with moderate glucocorticoid potency and much greater mineralocorticoid potency.The brand name in the U.S....
 (Florinef) is a synthetic mineralocorticoid. Hydrocortisone (cortisol) is available for replacement therapy, e.g. in adrenal insufficiency
Adrenal insufficiency

Adrenal insufficiency is a condition in which the adrenal glands, located above the kidneys, do not produce adequate amounts of steroid hormones , primarily cortisol, but may also include impaired aldosterone production which regulates sodium, potassium and water retention....
 and congenital adrenal hyperplasia
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia refers to any of several autosomal recessive diseases resulting from mutations of genes for enzymes mediating the biochemical steps of production of cortisol from cholesterol by the adrenal glands ....
.

Synthetic glucocorticoids are used in the treatment of joint pain or inflammation (arthritis
Arthritis

Arthritis is a group of conditions involving damage to the joints of the body. Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in people older than fifty-five years....
), temporal arteritis
Temporal arteritis

Giant cell arteritis is an inflammation disease of blood vessels . It a form of vasculitis.The name reflects the type of inflammatory cell that is involved ....
, dermatitis
Dermatitis

Dermatitis is a blanket term meaning any "inflammation of the skin" . There are several different types of dermatitis. The different kinds usually have in common an allergic reaction to specific allergens....
, allergic reactions, asthma
Asthma

Asthma is a common chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, in which the Lung constrict, become inflammation, and are lined with excessive amounts of thickened mucus, often in response to one or more triggers....
, hepatitis
Hepatitis

Hepatitis implies injury to the liver characterized by the presence of inflammatory cell s in the Tissue of the organ. The name is from ancient Greek hepar , the root being hepat- , meaning liver, and suffix -itis, meaning "inflammation" ....
, systemic lupus erythematosus
Systemic lupus erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic Autoimmunity connective tissue disease that can affect any part of the body. As occurs in other autoimmune diseases, the immune system attacks the body?s cells and tissue, resulting in inflammation and tissue damage....
, inflammatory bowel disease
Inflammatory bowel disease

In medicine, inflammatory bowel disease is a group of inflammation conditions of the colon and small intestine. The major types of IBD are Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.....
 (ulcerative colitis
Ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis is a form of inflammatory bowel disease . Ulcerative colitis is a form of colitis, a disease of the intestine, specifically the large intestine or colon , that includes characteristic Peptic ulcer, or open sores, in the colon....
 and Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease

Crohn's disease is an inflammatory disease which may affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus, causing a wide variety of symptoms....
), sarcoidosis
Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis, also called sarcoid or Besnier-Boeck disease, is a multisystem disorder characterized by non-caseating granulomas . It most commonly arises in young adults....
 and for glucocorticoid replacement in Addison's disease
Addison's disease

Addison's disease is a rare endocrine disorder in which the adrenal gland doesn't produce enough steroid hormones . It may develop in children and adults, and may occur as the result many underlying causes....
 or other forms of adrenal insufficiency
Adrenal insufficiency

Adrenal insufficiency is a condition in which the adrenal glands, located above the kidneys, do not produce adequate amounts of steroid hormones , primarily cortisol, but may also include impaired aldosterone production which regulates sodium, potassium and water retention....
. Topical formulations are also available for the skin, eyes
Uveitis

Uveitis specifically refers to inflammation of the middle layer of the eye, termed the "uvea" but in common usage may refer to any inflammatory process involving the interior of the eye, with inflammation specifically of the uvea termed iridocyclitis....
, lungs
Asthma

Asthma is a common chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, in which the Lung constrict, become inflammation, and are lined with excessive amounts of thickened mucus, often in response to one or more triggers....
, nose
Rhinitis

Rhinitis, commonly known as a runny nose, is the medical term describing irritation and inflammation of some internal areas of the nose. The primary symptom of rhinitis is nasal...
, and bowels
Inflammatory bowel disease

In medicine, inflammatory bowel disease is a group of inflammation conditions of the colon and small intestine. The major types of IBD are Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.....
. Corticosteroids are also used supportively to prevent nausea, often in combination with 5-HT3 antagonists (e.g. ondansetron
Ondansetron

Ondansetron or GlaxoSmithKline's Zofran is a serotonin 5-HT3 antagonist used mainly as an antiemetic to treat nausea and vomiting following chemotherapy....
).

Typical undesired effects
Adverse drug reaction

An adverse drug reaction or adverse drug event is an expression that describes the unwanted, negative consequences associated with the use of given medications....
 of glucocorticoids present quite uniformly as drug-induced Cushing's syndrome
Cushing's syndrome

Cushing's syndrome is a hormone disorder caused by high levels of cortisol in the blood. This can be caused by taking glucocorticoid drugs, or by tumors that produce cortisol or adrenocorticotropic hormone ....
. Typical mineralocorticoid side effects are hypertension (abnormally high blood pressure), hypokalemia
Hypokalemia

Hypokalemia refers to the condition in which the concentration of potassium in the blood is low. The prefix hypo- means low . Kal refers to kalium, the Neo-Latin for potassium, and -emia means "in the blood."...
 (low potassium levels in the blood), hypernatremia
Hypernatremia

Hypernatremia or hypernatraemia is an electrolyte disturbance that is defined by an elevated sodium level in the blood. Hypernatremia is generally not caused by an excess of sodium, but rather by a relative deficit of water in the body....
 (high sodium levels in the blood) without causing peripheral edema
Peripheral edema

Peripheral edema is the swelling of Biological tissue, usually in the lower Limb , due the accumulation of fluids.The condition is commonly associated with aging, but can be caused by many other conditions, including congestive heart failure, Physical trauma, alcoholism, pregnancy, hypertension or merely long periods of time sitting or sta...
, metabolic alkalosis
Metabolic alkalosis

Metabolic alkalosis is a metabolic condition in which the pH of the blood is elevated beyond the normal range. This is usually the result of decreased hydrogen ion concentration, leading to increased bicarbonate, or alternatively a direct result of increased bicarbonate concentrations....
 and connective tissue weakness (Werner, 2005).

Clinical and experimental evidence indicates that corticosteroids can cause permanent eye damage by inducing central serous retinopathy
Central serous retinopathy

Central serous retinopathy , also known as central serous chorioretinopathy , is a visual impairment, often temporary, usually in one eye, mostly affecting males in the age group 20 to 50 but which may also affect women....
 (CSR, also known as central serous chorioretinopathy, CSC). A variety of steroid medications, from anti-allergy nasal sprays (Nasonex, Flonase) to topical skin creams, to eye drops (Tobradex), to Prednisone have been implicated in the development of CSR.

History

Tadeusz Reichstein together with Edward Calvin Kendall
Edward Calvin Kendall

Edward Calvin Kendall was an United States chemist who, together with Philip Showalter Hench and Tadeus Reichstein, won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1950 for research at the Mayo Clinic, University of Minnesota on the structure and biological effects of adrenal cortex hormones....
 and Philip Showalter Hench
Philip Showalter Hench

Philip Showalter Hench was an United States physician who, with E. C. Kendall, in 1948 successfully applied an adrenal hormone in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis at the Mayo Clinic....
 were awarded the Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize

The Nobel Prize , established in the 1895 will of Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel; it was first awarded in Nobel Prize in Physics, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, Nobel Prize in Literature, and Nobel Peace Prize in 1901....
 for Physiology
Physiology

Physiology is the study of the mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions of living organisms. Physiology has traditionally been divided between plant physiology and animal and all living things physiology but the principles of physiology are universal, no matter what particular organism is being studied....
 and Medicine
Medicine

Medicine is the art and science of healing. It encompasses a range of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
 in 1950 for their work on hormones of the adrenal cortex which culminated in the isolation of cortisone
Cortisone

Cortisone is a steroid hormone. Chemically, it is a corticosteroid closely related to corticosterone....
.

Corticosteroids have been used as drug treatment for some time. Lewis Sarett of Merck & Co.
Merck & Co.

Merck & Co., Inc. , also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme or MSD outside the USA and Canada, is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world....
 was the first to synthesize cortisone, using a complicated 36-step process that started with deoxycholic acid, which was extracted from ox
Ox

Oxen are bovinae trained as draught animals. Often they are adult, castration males. Oxen are used for ploughing, transport, hauling cargo, threshing grain by trampling, powering machines for grinding grain, irrigation or other purposes, and drawing carts and wagons....
 bile
Bile

Bile or gall is a bitter yellow or green fluid secreted by hepatocytes from the liver of most vertebrates. In many species, bile is stored in the gallbladder between meals and upon eating is discharged into the duodenum where the bile aids the process of digestion of lipids....
. The low efficiency of converting deoxycholic acid into cortisone led to a cost of US $200 per gram. Russell Marker
Russell Marker

Russell Earl Marker was an eccentric United States chemist who invented the Petrol#Octane rating system when he was working at the Ethyl Corporation....
, at Syntex
Syntex

Laboratorios Syntex SA was a pharmaceutical company formed in Mexico City in 1944 by Russell Marker to manufacture therapeutic steroids from the Mexican yam....
, discovered a much cheaper and more convenient starting material, diosgenin
Diosgenin

Diosgenin, a steroid sapogenin, is the product of hydrolysis by acids, strong bases, or enzymes of saponins, extracted from the tubers of Dioscorea wild yam....
 from wild Mexican yams. His conversion of diosgenin into progesterone
Progesterone

Progesterone is a C-21 steroid hormone involved in the female menstrual cycle, pregnancy and embryogenesis of humans and other species. Progesterone belongs to a class of hormones called progestogens, and is the major naturally occurring human progestogen....
 by a four-step process now known as Marker degradation
Marker degradation

The Marker degradation is a chemical synthesis developed by Russell Earl Marker for the production of progesterone from a comparatively cheaply available Mexican yam ....
 was an important step in mass production of all steroidal hormones, including cortisone and chemicals used in hormonal contraception
Hormonal contraception

Hormonal contraception refers to birth control methods that act on the hormone system.Currently, all hormonal contraceptives are designed for use by women rather than men, though research on a male oral contraceptive has been underway for some time....
. In 1952, D.H. Peterson and H.C. Murray of Upjohn
Upjohn

The Upjohn Company was a pharmaceutical manufacturing firm founded in 1886 in Kalamazoo, Michigan by Dr. William E. Upjohn, an 1875 graduate of the University of Michigan medical school....
 Co. developed a process that used Rhizopus
Rhizopus

Rhizopus is a genus of molds that includes cosmopolitan filamentous fungus found in soil, decaying fruit and vegetables, animal feces, and old bread....
 mold to oxidize progesterone into a compound that was readily converted to cortisone. The ability to cheaply synthesize large quantities of cortisone from the diosgenin in yams resulted in a rapid drop in price to US $6 per gram, falling to $0.46 per gram by 1980. Percy Julian's research also aided progress in the field. The exact nature of cortisone's anti-inflammatory nature remained a mystery for years after however, until the leukocyte adhesion cascade and the role of phospholipase A2
Phospholipase A2

Phospholipases A2 are upstream regulators of many inflammatory processes. This particular phospholipase specifically recognizes the sn-2 acyl bond of phospholipids and catalytically hydrolyzes the bond releasing arachidonic acid and lysophospholipids....
 in the production of prostaglandins and leukotrienes was fully understood in the early 1980s.

See also

  • Cushing's syndrome
    Cushing's syndrome

    Cushing's syndrome is a hormone disorder caused by high levels of cortisol in the blood. This can be caused by taking glucocorticoid drugs, or by tumors that produce cortisol or adrenocorticotropic hormone ....
  • Addison's disease
    Addison's disease

    Addison's disease is a rare endocrine disorder in which the adrenal gland doesn't produce enough steroid hormones . It may develop in children and adults, and may occur as the result many underlying causes....
  • Vitiligo
    Vitiligo

    Vitiligo or leukoderma is a Chronic skin disorder that causes loss of Biological pigment, resulting in irregular pale patches of skin. It occurs when the melanocytes, cells responsible for skin pigmentation, die or are unable to function....
  • Steroid
    Steroid

    A steroid is a terpenoid lipid characterized by a carbon skeleton with four fused rings, generally arranged in a 6-6-6-5 fashion.Steroids vary by the functional groups attached to these rings and the oxidation state of the rings....
    s (general term)
  • Fluorometholone
    Fluorometholone

    Fluorometholone is a corticosteroid, most often used after laser-based refractive surgery. It is marketed under the brand names FML and Flarex ....
  • List of steroid abbreviations
    List of steroid abbreviations

    The steroid hormones are referred to by various abbreviations in the biological literature. The purpose of this list is to give commonly used abbreviations for steroid hormones, with supporting references to the literature....
  • Topical steroid
    Topical steroid

    Topical steroids are the topical forms of corticosteroids. Topical steroids are the most commonly prescribed topical medications for the treatment of rash, eczema, and dermatitis....