dexamethasone

Also 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

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 Å²
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

Mass: 392.19990224799994

Show 7 more facts

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
World Health Organisation international non-proprietary name: dexamethasone
partition coefficient water/octanol: 1.83
defined daily dose: 1.5

Sources (5)

via Wikidata · CC0

~22 min read

Article

28 sections

Contents

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

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.