Prednisone vs Dexamethasone: what is the difference?
Dexamethasone is several times more potent than prednisone, lasts far longer and needs no liver activation, while prednisone holds more sodium and water.
Three differences: dexamethasone has a hydroxyl where prednisone has a ketone, plus a methyl and a fluorine.
Sources and notes
- The sentence under the titlefrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notesThe pair's answer line.
- The two drawingscomputedMoleculeFinder rule (RDKit MCS)Drawn the same way round on the skeleton they share; the amber marks where the two differ.
- The captionfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- What is highlightedfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curatedOne line under each drawing, written from the atoms the amber marks.
- Structural similaritycomputedRDKit Morgan/Tanimoto0.39 of 1, a Morgan fingerprint Tanimoto coefficient. It measures shape, not effect.
Side by side
| Prednisone | Dexamethasone | |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular weightCalculated PubChem | 358.4 g/molC21H26O5 | 392.5 g/molC22H29FO5 |
| Hydrogen-bond donorsCalculated PubChem | 2 | 3 |
| FamilyEditorial MoleculeFinder curated | Corticosteroids | Corticosteroids |
| Everyday groupEditorial MoleculeFinder curated | Prescription medicine | Prescription medicine |
| Chemical groupsCalculated Found by rule (RDKit) | Alcohols, Ketones | Alcohols, Ketones, Halogenated |
| Hazard labelReported ECHA, HSDB via PubChem; ECHA via PubChem | Danger | Danger |
| The supplier-filed hazard label's signal word, not a statement about ordinary use. | ||
| LD50Measured HSDB via PubChem | 101 mg/kgpure prednisone, mouse, another route | Not recorded |
| A single acute animal measure. It ranks nothing about human safety. | ||
Sources and notes
- Molecular weightcomputedPubChemComputed from the structure; the formula is under each weight.
- Hydrogen-bond donorscomputedPubChemThe hydrogens on nitrogen or oxygen that each molecule can lend to a hydrogen bond, counted from its structure.
- Familyfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- Everyday groupfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- Chemical groupscomputedFound by rule (RDKit)Each group is found in the structure by a chemical pattern.
- Hazard labelfrom sourceECHA, HSDB via PubChem; ECHA via PubChem
- LD50from sourceHSDB via PubChem
- ECHAfrom sourceAttributionSource: European Chemicals Agency, echa.europa.eu.
- Identifiersfrom sourcePubChemPubChem CID 5865 (Prednisone) and 5743 (Dexamethasone).
In more detail
Both are corticosteroids that suppress inflammation through the glucocorticoid receptor. Prednisone is inactive as swallowed and must be converted by the liver into prednisolone, which dexamethasone does not require. They also differ in mineralocorticoid effect: prednisone retains some, so it holds sodium and water more than dexamethasone, which has essentially none, and that is why dexamethasone is preferred where fluid retention is a problem. Dexamethasone lasts far longer, with a biological effect measured in a day and a half against prednisone's half day. Dexamethasone carries a fluorine that prednisone lacks, at 392.5 against 358.4.
Sources and notes
- The paragraphfrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notes
Questions
- What is the difference between Prednisone and Dexamethasone?
- Dexamethasone is several times more potent than prednisone, lasts far longer and needs no liver activation, while prednisone holds more sodium and water.
- Is Prednisone bigger than Dexamethasone?
- Dexamethasone is the heavier molecule, 392.5 g/mol against 358.4 g/mol for Prednisone. Prednisone is C21H26O5 and Dexamethasone is C22H29FO5.
Sources and notes
- The answersfrom sourceMoleculeFinderThe first is the pair's answer line; the others are read off the table above.