Overview

A synthetic anti-inflammatory glucocorticoid derived from cortisone. It is biologically inert and converted to prednisolone in the liver. Prednisone was granted FDA approval on 21 February 1955.

Indication

Prednisone is indicated as an anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressive drug for allergic, dermatologic, gastrointestinal, hematologic, ophthalmologic, nervous system, renal, respiratory, rheumatologic, infectious, endocrine, or neoplastic conditions as well as in organ transplant.

Associated Conditions

Acne Vulgaris
Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Acute Gouty Arthritis
Acute Leukemia
Aggressive Lymphoma
Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis
Allergic Conjunctivitis (AC)
Allergic Rhinitis (AR)
Allergic corneal marginal ulcers
Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic
Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)
Aspiration Pneumonitis
Asthma
Atopic Dermatitis
Autoimmune Hepatitis
Bell's Palsy
Berylliosis
Bullous dermatitis herpetiformis
Chorioretinitis
Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH)
Congenital Hypoplastic Anemia
Contact Dermatitis
Disseminated tuberculosis
Drug hypersensitivity reaction
Edema of the cerebrum
Epicondylitis
Erythroblastopenia
Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA)
Hypercalcemia of Malignancy
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF)
Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP)
Iridocyclitis
Iritis
Keratitis
Leukemias
Loeffler's syndrome
Lymphoma
Meningitis caused by Mycobacterium Tuberculosis
Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer (mCRPC)
Mycosis Fungoides (MF)
Ocular Inflammation
Ophthalmia, Sympathetic
Optic Neuritis
Pain caused by Herpes zoster
Pemphigus
Pericarditis
Pneumocystis Jirovecii Pneumonia
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR)
Polymyositis
Posterior Uveitis
Primary adrenocortical insufficiency
Psoriatic Arthritis
Pure Red Cell Aplasia
Regional Enteritis
Relapsing Polychondritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis, Juvenile
Secondary adrenocortical insufficiency
Secondary thrombocytopenia
Serum Sickness
Severe Seborrheic Dermatitis
Sjogren's Syndrome (SS)
Solid Organ Transplant Rejection
Stevens-Johnson Syndrome
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Takayasu Arteritis
Thyroid Eye Disease
Thyroiditis
Thyrotoxicosis
Trichinosis
Ulcerative Colitis
Uveitis
Vasculitis
Acquired immune hemolytic anemia
Acute Bursitis
Acute Crohn's Disease (CD)
Acute Multiple sclerosis exacerbation
Acute rheumatic carditis
Anterior eye segment inflammation
Exfoliative erythroderma
Fulminating Tuberculosis
Idiopathic Bronchiolitis obliterans with organizing pneumonia
Idiopathic eosinophilic pneumonias
Non-suppurative Thyroiditis
Severe Psoriasis
Subacute Bursitis
Symptomatic Sarcoidosis
Synovitis of osteoarthritis
Systemic Dermatomyositis
Varicella-zoster virus acute retinal necrosis

Research Report

Published: Jul 16, 2025

Comprehensive Monograph on Prednisone (DB00635)

[Executive Summary]

Prednisone is a potent, synthetically produced glucocorticoid that has served as a cornerstone of anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive therapy for over half a century, following its initial FDA approval on February 21, 1955.[1] It functions as a biologically inert prodrug, requiring hepatic conversion to its active metabolite, prednisolone, to exert its therapeutic effects.[1] Its mechanism of action is profound and ubiquitous, involving the binding to glucocorticoid receptors present in nearly every cell type in the body.[3] This interaction leads to complex downstream effects on gene expression, primarily the suppression of pro-inflammatory pathways and the enhancement of anti-inflammatory processes. This broad mechanism underpins Prednisone's remarkable efficacy across an extensive spectrum of clinical conditions, including rheumatologic, respiratory, allergic, hematologic, neoplastic, and autoimmune diseases, as well as in the prevention of organ transplant rejection.[1]

Continue reading the full research report

Clinical Trials

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Title	Posted	Study ID	Phase	Status	Sponsor
Study of Bevacizumab and Erlotinib for Patients With Hormone Refractory Prostate Cancer	2009/10/16	NCT00996502	Phase 1	Terminated	Columbia University
Efficacy of Prednisone In the Treatment of Ocular Myasthenia	2009/10/15	NCT00995722	Phase 3	Terminated	Michael Benatar
Initial Treatment of Patients With Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura	2009/10/08	NCT00991939	Phase 3	Terminated	Carelon Research
Study to Evaluate Safety and Effectiveness of Lenalidomide in Combination With Docetaxel and Prednisone for Patients With Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer	2009/10/02	NCT00988208	Phase 3	Completed	Celgene
Study Comparing Two Tapering Strategies of Prednisone in Myasthenia Gravis	2009/09/30	NCT00987116	Phase 4	Completed	Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris
Rituximab and Combination Chemotherapy With or Without Bleomycin Sulfate in Treating Patients With Primary Mediastinal Large B-Cell Lymphoma	2009/09/24	NCT00983944	Phase 2	Withdrawn	Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
Test Predicting Adrenal Insufficiency in Volunteers Under Prednisone Treatment	2009/09/11	NCT00975078	Phase 4	Completed	University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
Corticosteroid Treatment for Community-Acquired Pneumonia - The STEP Trial	2009/09/09	NCT00973154	Phase 3	Completed	University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
Treatment of Older Adults With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia	2009/09/09	NCT00973752	Phase 2	Completed	Massachusetts General Hospital
Vorinostat, Rituximab, and Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Newly Diagnosed Stage II, Stage III, or Stage IV Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma	2009/09/07	NCT00972478	Phase 1	Active, not recruiting	National Cancer Institute (NCI)

FDA Drug Approvals

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Approved Product	Manufacturer	NDC Code	Route	Strength	Effective Date
No FDA approvals found for this drug.

EMA Drug Approvals

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HSA Drug Approvals

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NMPA Drug Approvals

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PPB Drug Approvals

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TGA Drug Approvals

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