Corticosteroid Hormone Receptor Agonists

This is the parent class covering agonists at either adrenal corticosteroid receptor. The glucocorticoid receptor, once bound, acts as a transcription factor at glucocorticoid response elements and as a modulator of other transcription factors, altering inflammation, proliferation and differentiation; the mineralocorticoid receptor binds aldosterone and also cortisol and corticosterone, and transactivates genes that increase ion and water transport. A drug belongs here because it activates one of these two receptors; most corticosteroids used clinically have some activity at both, which is why the parent class exists and why mineralocorticoid side effects accompany glucocorticoid therapy.