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[History of corticotherapy]
1Service de pharmacie pharmacologie toxicologie, hôpitaux universitaires Paris Centre, 1, place du Parvis-Notre-Dame, 75181 Paris cedex 4, France. francois.chast@htd.aphp.fr
La Revue De Medecine Interne
|January 22, 2013
Summary
Corticosteroids, discovered in 1948, revolutionized medicine by treating various conditions. These potent steroid derivatives offer effective therapeutic approaches across numerous medical fields.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology and Pharmacology
Context:
- The discovery of corticosteroids in the late 1940s marked a significant advancement in steroid chemistry and therapeutic applications.
- Pioneering work by Reichstein, Kendall, and Hench integrated extractive chemistry, chemical synthesis, and clinical research, leading to the identification of cortisone.
Purpose:
- To explore the historical development and therapeutic evolution of corticosteroids.
- To highlight the impact of chemical modifications, such as fluoridation, on corticosteroid efficacy and tolerability.
Summary:
- Corticosteroids emerged from combined efforts in chemistry and clinical investigation, initially treating Addison's disease and inflammatory conditions.
- Subsequent development led to derivatives with enhanced activity and tolerability, expanding their therapeutic utility.
- Fluoridation of the steroid skeleton improved molecular properties, leading to better-tolerated and more potent corticosteroids.
Impact:
- Corticosteroids have transformed the management of allergic diseases, immune disorders, and graft rejection.
- They are crucial in treating a wide spectrum of dermatological, respiratory, digestive, and ophthalmological conditions.
- Corticosteroids are now indispensable therapeutic agents utilized across virtually all medical disciplines.
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