Beclomethasone dipropionate is a corticosteroid used in the treatment of asthma, bacterial sinusitis, dermatosis, and many other conditions. Inflammatory conditions involve the activation of cascades by inflammatory mediators. Beclomethasone dipropionate works by attenuating this inflammatory response. Cases of Candida albicans infection of the mouth and throat have been reported with inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate therapy because of its suppression of the immune system. Beclomethasone dipropionate is a prodrug that is rapidly metabolized to 17-monopropionate by hydrolysis by esterases CYP3A. It is this metabolite that mediates the anti-inflammatory actions. As 17-BMP is the active metabolite, it is a glucocorticoid, and its mechanism of action is that of the glucocorticoid response element (GRE) of influencing COX-2/prostaglandin G/H synthase 2 suppression and lipocortin/annexin induction. By binding to the glucocorticoid receptor, it influences transcription factors AP-1 and NF-kB to block the transcription of COX-2/prostaglandin G/H synthase 2 which reduces the amount of prostanoids being produced from arachidonic acid. Prostanoids such as PGI2 and thromboxane A2 influence the effects of inflammation through vasoconstriction/dilation, pain sensitivity, and platelet aggregation. 17-BMP also affects the promoter of annexin-1, an important inflammatory protein as it affects leukocytes and blocks phospholipase A2 which reduces the amount of arachidonic acid being cleaved from the phospholipid bilayer. Reducing the amount of arachidonic acid formed further decreases the concentrations of prostanoids mentioned calming inflammation. Beclomethasone dipropionate has many routes of administration such as inhalers, nasal sprays, topical lotion, and oral capsules.

Beclomethasone dipropionate Pathway References