cortisol

Also known as 4-pregnen-11beta,17alpha,21-triol-3,20-dione, (11beta)-11,17,21-trihydroxypregn-4-ene-3,20-dione, 11beta,17alpha,21-trihydroxy-4-pregnene-3,20-dione, 11beta-hydrocortisone, HC, (1S,2R,10S,11S,14S,15S,17S)-14,17-dihydroxy-14-(2-hydroxyacetyl)-2,15-dimethyltetracyclo[8.7.0.0^{2,7}.0^{11,15}]heptadec-6-en-5-one, hydrocortisone, Kendall's compound F

Cortisol is a steroid hormone in the glucocorticoid class of hormones and a stress hormone. When used as medication, it is known as hydrocortisone.

OverviewAI-generated

Cortisol is a chemical compound with the formula C₂₁H₃₀O₅. It has a melting point of 214 and a mass of 362.209. The substance is also identified by the stylized name Solu-CORTEF and carries an MCN code of 2937.21.20. Its defined daily dose is 30.

Chemical properties include a weight of 362.5, an xlogp of 1.6, and a tpsa of 94.8. The molecule features three hydrogen bond donors and five hydrogen bond acceptors, with a charge of 0. It is associated with a PubMed query count of 119672 and is referenced by 1,410 other encyclopedia articles.

Synthesized by Vinony from 21 facts across 4 sources: Wikidata, PubChem, PubMed, Vinony graph. Generated from structured data (not the Wikipedia text) and checked against those facts — may still contain errors.

Chemical data

Formula: C21H30O5
Molecular weight: 362.5 g/mol
IUPAC name: (8S,9S,10R,11S,13S,14S,17R)-11,17-dihydroxy-17-(2-hydroxyacetyl)-10,13-dimethyl-2,6,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16-decahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-one
SMILES: C[C@]12CCC(=O)C=C1CC[C@@H]3[C@@H]2[C@H](C[C@]4([C@H]3CC[C@@]4(C(=O)CO)O)C)O
InChIKey: JYGXADMDTFJGBT-VWUMJDOOSA-N
XLogP: 1.6
Polar surface area: 94.8 Å²
H-bond donors: 3
H-bond acceptors: 5
Formal charge: 0

via PubChem

Research

119,672 papers

Cortisol: Biosensing and detection strategies.ReviewClinica chimica acta; international journal of clinical chemistry · 2024Balasamy S, Atchudan R, Arya S et al.DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2024.119888
Salivary cortisol and cortisone in the clinical setting.ReviewCurrent opinion in endocrinology, diabetes, and obesity · 2017Blair J, Adaway J, Keevil B et al.DOI: 10.1097/MED.0000000000000328
Cortisol Detection Methods and the Hormone's Role in Evaluating Circadian Rhythm Disruption.ReviewInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2025Juliana N, Maluin SM, Effendy NM et al.DOI: 10.3390/ijms26189141
Advancements in Cortisol Detection: From Conventional Methods to Next-Generation Technologies for Enhanced Hormone Monitoring.ReviewACS sensors · 2024Vignesh V, Castro-Dominguez B, James TD et al.DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.3c01912
Obesity and cortisol status.ReviewHormone and metabolic research = Hormon- und Stoffwechselforschung = Hormones et metabolisme · 2005Salehi M, Ferenczi A, Zumoff BDOI: 10.1055/s-2005-861374
Early life stress and cortisol: A meta-analysis.ReviewHormones and behavior · 2018Fogelman N, Canli TDOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.12.014
Measuring cortisol in human psychobiological studies.ReviewPhysiology & behavior · 2007Levine A, Zagoory-Sharon O, Feldman R et al.DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2006.08.025
Cortisol metabolism, cortisol sensitivity and the pathogenesis of leprosy reactions.ReviewTropical medicine & international health : TM & IH · 1999Rook GA, Baker RDOI: 10.1046/j.1365-3156.1999.00432.x

via PubMed

~28 min read

Encyclopedic overview

35 sections

Contents

Health effects
Metabolic response
Metabolism of glucose
Metabolism of proteins and lipids
Immune response
Other effects
Metabolism
Glucose
Bone and collagen
Amino acid
Electrolyte balance
Sodium
Potassium
Stomach and kidneys
Memory
Circadian and ultradian rhythms in cortisol
Stress
Effects during pregnancy
Cortisol face
Synthesis and release
Testing of individuals
Disorders of cortisol production
Regulation
Factors increasing cortisol levels
Biochemistry
Biosynthesis
Metabolism
11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases
A-ring reductases (5alpha- and 5beta-reductases)
Cytochrome P450, family 3, subfamily A monooxygenases
Chemistry
Animals
See also
References
External links

Cortisol is a steroid hormone in the glucocorticoid class of hormones and a stress hormone. When used as medication, it is known as hydrocortisone.

Cortisol is produced in many animals, mainly by the zona fasciculata of the adrenal cortex in an adrenal gland. In other tissues, it is produced in lower quantities. By a diurnal cycle, cortisol is released and increases in response to stress and a low blood-glucose concentration. It functions to increase blood sugar through gluconeogenesis, suppress the immune system, and aid in energy metabolism. It also decreases bone formation. These stated functions are carried out by cortisol binding to glucocorticoid or mineralocorticoid receptors inside a cell, which then bind to DNA to affect gene expression.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “cortisol” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.