The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences Volume 7 Number 2 Spring 2014 - 1-1-2014 Similarities Between Corticosteroids M. Einhorn Touro College Follow this and additional works at: https://touroscholar.touro.edu/sjlcas Part of the Chemical and Pharmacologic Phenomena Commons Recommended Citation Einhorn, M. (2014). Similarities Between Corticosteroids. The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences, 7(2). Retrieved from https://touroscholar.touro.edu/sjlcas/vol7/iss2/6 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Lander College of Arts and Sciences at Touro Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences by an authorized editor of Touro Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Similarities Between Corticosteroids documented, and medical practitioners administer these ments fluctuates depending on the strength of the cortico- Similarities Between Corticosteroids drugs because the effects are beneficial to the patients. steroid. M. Einhorn Corticosteroids are sometimes referred to as a “miracle In a double blind study testing the bioavailability of drug” because of the diverse pathologies that are alleviat- different corticosteroids, desoximetasone 0.25%, clobeta- ed or managed by these drugs. The precise mechanism of Abstract sol-17-propionate .05%, hydrocortisone 1.0%, and betame- action, nevertheless, is as of yet unknown. Much research thasone dipropionate .064% were applied on the volar Corticosteroids are a class of potent drugs with important physiological effects on the body. Regular use is linked with has been done to discover this mechanism, and varying forearm of 30 healthy volunteers. After six hours, skin color common and serious side effects. This paper uses studies to analyze the similarities between various corticosteroids. All hypotheses have been suggested. There is a strong possi- changes were noted. The degree of skin blanching is asso- drugs in this class are molecules that contain the same steroid backbone and are therefore associated with the same bility that corticosteroids have numerous effects on a cellu- ciated with the efficacy of the corticosteroid. Though the cellular receptor. This results in a comparable mechanism and parallel overall effect in the body. Side effects of cortico- lar level, resulting in what seems to be several valid mecha- corticosteroid concentration in each cream was different, steroids are analogous as well. Using the knowledge of physiological changes in the body due to corticosteroids will al- nisms. low healthcare providers to determine the most effective corticosteroid least likely to cause adverse effects, and treat the vasoconstrictive effect of the corticosteroid, as seen by and monitor the patient accordingly. Corticosteroids function by diffusing into a cell and blanching of the skin was quite similar between three of binding to glucocorticoid receptors in the cytoplasm the four corticosteroids tested. Hydrocortisone caused (Barnes, 2005). The receptor corticosteroid complex stimu- milder skin blanching and in fewer individuals, but is known Introduction by typing corticosteroid along with other associated key- lates changes in the cell by influencing transcription. Re- to be a weak corticosteroid so the results were not atypical words, such as inflammation, into databases, such as search testing cardiovascular effects of the corticosteroid (Borelli et al., 2008). The clinical observation that three of Corticosteroids are a class of commonly prescribed Ebsco, Medline, ProQuest, and other similar databases. dexamethasone, found that treatment of cells with dexa- the four creams caused similar blanching despite differing drugs containing a backbone of four fused cycloalkanes. methasone and the glucocorticoid antagonist mifepristone concentrations, clearly demonstrated that corticosteroids These drugs are prescribed to treat a wide variety of ail- Similarity in Structure (RU 486) blocked the known effects of the corticosteroid differ in potency. ments including: autoimmune disorders, arthritis, asthma, Steroids are molecules with a backbone consisting (Hafezi-Moghdam et al., 2002). When cells are treated with dermatitis, cancer treatment, pain management and oth- Research has shown that each corticosteroid has a of three bonded cyclohexane rings fused with a cyclopen- mifepristone, the glucocorticoid receptor is inactivated. ers. Corticosteroid drug therapy is currently used in the different binding affinity to the glucocorticoid receptor be- tane. The backbone can vary in oxidation state as well as in When the cell with the inactivated receptor is treated with treatment of over 175 diseases. Additionally, these drugs cause of structural differences (Kelly, 2009). Clinical trials functional groups, producing numerous different steroid corticosteroid, no corticosteroid effect takes place. This are commonly used by patients, as seen by the fact that show that the change in binding affinity from one cortico- molecules. The body produces cholesterol and steroid hor- demonstrated that a corticosteroid must bind to the recep- Advair diskus, a corticosteroid inhaler, was sixth in retail steroid to another is associated with the potency of the mones as part of normal function, most importantly: aldos- tor for an effect to occur in the cell. sales during the year 2013. The drug can be administered corticosteroid (Kelly, 2009). This correlation that greater terone, and the sex hormones. Synthetic steroids can be and absorbed by the body in a variety of different forms: This theory was replicated in a study showing that the affinity of the corticosteroid to the receptor the more introduced into the body. topically applied creams, inhaled sprays, injected systemi- dexamethasone inhibits vasculogenesis in a tumor through powerful its effects, bolsters the theory that corticoster- cally, drops for the eyes or ears, and orally. What are the Corticosteroids are a class of drugs similar to the suppressing vascular endothelial growth factor A. Treat- oids need to bind to the glucocorticoid receptor to have common physiological effects of the different corticoster- hormone cortisol, and they contain this steroid backbone. ment of steroid along with mifepristone prevented this physiological effects. The corticosteroid receptor complex oids? The medications in this class share a common molec- Different corticosteroids vary somewhat in shape due to suppressive effect (Greenberger et al., 2010). A limit of the causes numerous changes in the cell, both in the short ular backbone and cause analogous effects on a cellular the differing functional groups and oxidation state. Though conclusion, however, is that both studies were done using term as well as long term. all steroid molecules are quite similar in structure, slight the same corticosteroid dexamethasone, and therefore, level. Much research has been done trying to determine an After binding to the corticosteroid, the activated changes between each molecule’s backbone results in does not prove that other corticosteroids need to bind to exact mechanism of steroidal function. Mechanisms have glucocorticoid receptor complex is transported from the differing affinity between the molecule and the corre- the glucocorticoid receptor to have an effect. been proposed, but as of today, they are hypotheses that cytoplasm into the nucleus and binds to the promoter of sponding glucocorticoid receptor . Structural changes also explain some, but not all, effects. Though corticosteroid Further proof of this theory lies in the clinically specific genes containing the glucocorticoid response ele- affect the bioavailability of a corticosteroid. Inhaled corti- drugs are used for seemingly disparate pathologies, there seen observation that different topical corticosteroids have ments. This induces transcription of glucocorticoid re- costeroids with a hydroxyl group on carbon 21 have been are many similarities in physiological effects of corticoster- different potencies. Corticosteroids are therefore separat- sponse elements mRNA (Barnes, 2005). In endothelial cells, shown both in vitro and in vivo to undergo esterification oids, both medicinal as well as detrimental. ed into classes. In the United States, corticosteroids are dexamethasone induced promoter activity for the gluco- inside lung cells and therefore take a longer period of time divided in classes from one, the extremely potent, to sev- corticoid response elements and caused transcription of Methods to eliminate from the body (Kelly, 2009). en, the least potent. In Europe, classes are numbered these genes beginning four hours after treatment of cells. The similarities between the corticosteroid class of drugs, Mechanism of Action differently with class one, the mild corticosteroids, to class Actinomycin D, which inhibits transcription, and 5, 6- as well as the differences between specific corticosteroids, four, the strongest of the corticosteroids. Percentage of dichlorobenzimidazole riboside, which inhibits RNA poly- were analyzed using original studies and critiques obtained The physiological effects of corticosteroids are well active ingredient in corticosteroid creams, lotions, or oint- merase, given in conjunction with the corticosteroid M. Einhorn is pursuing a B.S. in Biology. 38 39 Similarities Between Corticosteroids documented, and medical practitioners administer these ments fluctuates depending on the strength of the cortico- Similarities