Drugs that mimic the effects of cortisol are commonly prescribed to treat inflammatory, autoimmune and allergic conditions. These drugs are commonly called corticosteroids or glucocorticoids and include prednisolone, prednisone, dexamethasone and betamethasone. Although each of these drugs has a different molecular structure they all work in the same general way and mimic the effects of cortisol. What do you think is common between each of these drugs and cortisol that enables them to function in this way?

The active part of each of these molecules is able to bind with the cortisol receptors inside the cell. It is only the combination of the receptor and the active part of the molecule that is required to trigger changes in cell function. In other words the synthetic drugs and the natural cortisol all have an area that has a similar chemical structure and can therefore combine with the same receptors.