File:Dexamethasone_structure.svg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
dexamethasone
Sign in to saveAlso known as Decadron®, desametasone, fluormethylprednisolone, DXM833
Dexamethasone is a fluorinated glucocorticoid medication used to treat rheumatic problems, a number of skin diseases, severe allergies, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), croup, brain swelling, eye pain following eye surgery, superior vena cava syndrome (a complication of some forms of cancer), and along with antibiotics in tuberculosis. In adrenocortical insufficiency, it may be used in combination with a mineralocorticoid medication such as fludrocortisone. In preterm labor, it may be used to improve outcomes in the baby. It may be given by mouth, as an injection into a mu
OverviewAI-generated
Dexamethasone is a chemical compound with the formula C₂₂H₂₉FO₅. Its molecular mass is listed as 392.19990224799994, while its weight is recorded as 392.5. The substance has a defined daily dose of 1.5.
Physicochemical properties include a water/octanol partition coefficient of 1.83 and an xlogp value of 1.9. The compound features a topological polar surface area of 94.8, with three hydrogen bond donors and six hydrogen bond acceptors. It carries a charge of 0.
Literature references for dexamethasone number 88,713. The subject is referenced by 1,357 other encyclopedia articles.
Synthesized by Vinony from 19 facts across 4 sources: Wikidata, PubMed, PubChem, Vinony graph. Generated from structured data (not the Wikipedia text) and checked against those facts — may still contain errors.
Key facts
- Drug.Verifiedfields
- changed
- Drug.Watchedfields
- changed
- Drug.verifiedrevid
- 443584169
- Drug.image
- Dexamethasone structure.svg
- Drug.image_class
- skin-invert-image
- Drug.alt
- Skeletal formula of dexamethasone
- Drug.image2
- Dexamethasone 3D ball.png
- Drug.image_class2
- bg-transparent
- Drug.alt2
- Ball-and-stick model of the dexamethasone molecule
- Drug.caption
- Dexamethasone molecular structure
- Drug.tradename
- Decadron, Ozurdex, Dexycu, others
- Drug.MedlinePlus
- a682792
- Drug.DailyMedID
- Dexamethasone
- Drug.pregnancy_AU
- A
- Drug.routes_of_administration
- By mouth, intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, intraosseous, intravitreal, eye drop
- Drug.caption2
- 3D representation of dexamethasone
- Drug.ATC_prefix
- A01
- Drug.ATC_suffix
- AC02
via Wikipedia infobox
Chemical data
- Formula
- C22H29FO5
- Molecular weight
- 392.5 g/mol
- IUPAC name
- (8S,9R,10S,11S,13S,14S,16R,17R)-9-fluoro-11,17-dihydroxy-17-(2-hydroxyacetyl)-10,13,16-trimethyl-6,7,8,11,12,14,15,16-octahydrocyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-one
- SMILES
- C[C@@H]1C[C@H]2[C@@H]3CCC4=CC(=O)C=C[C@@]4([C@]3([C@H](C[C@@]2([C@]1(C(=O)CO)O)C)O)F)C
- InChIKey
- UREBDLICKHMUKA-CXSFZGCWSA-N
- XLogP
- 1.9
- Polar surface area
- 94.8 Ų
- H-bond donors
- 3
- H-bond acceptors
- 6
- Formal charge
- 0
via PubChem
Research
88,713 papers- [Perioperative dexamethasone].Der Anaesthesist · 2019
- Selinexor-Bortezomib-Dexamethasone: A Review in Previously Treated Multiple Myeloma.Targeted oncology · 2023
- DEXAMETHASONE INTRAVITREAL INJECTION IN DIABETIC PATIENTS UNDERGOING CATARACT SURGERY: An Updated Literature Review.Retina (Philadelphia, Pa.) · 2025
- [Dexamethasone - Risk Factor for Wound Healing Disorder and Hyperglycaemia?].Anasthesiologie, Intensivmedizin, Notfallmedizin, Schmerztherapie : AINS · 2025
- Intravenous Dexamethasone as an Analgesic: A Literature Review.AANA journal · 2018
via PubMed
Wikidata facts
- Has part
- hydrogen
- Mass
- 392.19990224799994
- Has use
- medication
Show 12 more facts
- medical condition treated
- COVID-19
- found in taxon
- Colletotrichum
- chemical formula
- C₂₂H₂₉FO₅
- canonical SMILES
- CC1CC2C3CCC4=CC(=O)C=CC4(C3(C(CC2(C1(C(=O)CO)O)C)O)F)C
- isomeric SMILES
- C[C@@H]1C[C@H]2[C@@H]3CCC4=CC(=O)C=C[C@@]4([C@]3([C@H](C[C@@]2([C@]1(C(=O)CO)O)C)O)F)C
- Commons category
- Dexamethasone
- has characteristic
- bitterness
- World Health Organisation international non-proprietary name
- dexamethasone
- subject has role
- essential medicine
- partition coefficient water/octanol
- 1.83
- defined daily dose
- 1.5
- stereoisomer of
- betamethasone
via Wikidata · CC0
~22 min read
Encyclopedic overview
28 sectionsContents
- Medical uses
- Anti-inflammatory
- Cancer
- COVID-19
- Surgery
- Endocrine
- Pregnancy
- High-altitude illnesses
- Nausea and vomiting
- Sore throat
- Contraindications
- Adverse effects
- Common
- Unknown frequency
- Withdrawal
- Interactions
- Pharmacology
- Pharmacodynamics
- Chemistry
- Synthesis
- Spectroscopy
- History
- Society and culture
- Price
- Nonmedical use
- Veterinary use
- References
- External links
Dexamethasone is a fluorinated glucocorticoid medication used to treat rheumatic problems, a number of skin diseases, severe allergies, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), croup, brain swelling, eye pain following eye surgery, superior vena cava syndrome (a complication of some forms of cancer), and along with antibiotics in tuberculosis. In adrenocortical insufficiency, it may be used in combination with a mineralocorticoid medication such as fludrocortisone. In preterm labor, it may be used to improve outcomes in the baby. It may be given by mouth, as an injection into a muscle, as an injection into a vein, as a topical cream or ointment for the skin or as a topical ophthalmic solution to the eye. The effects of dexamethasone are frequently seen within a day and last for about three days.
The long-term use of dexamethasone may result in thrush, bone loss, cataracts, easy bruising, or muscle weakness. It is in pregnancy category C in the United States, meaning that it should only be used when the benefits are predicted to be greater than the risks. In Australia, the oral use is category A, meaning it has been frequently used in pregnancy and not been found to cause problems to the baby. It should not be taken when breastfeeding. Dexamethasone has anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant effects.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “dexamethasone” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.