Compound

cortisol

The main glucocorticoid secreted by the adrenal cortex. Its synthetic counterpart is used, either as an injection or topically, in the treatment of inflammation, allergy, collagen diseases, asthma, adrenocortical deficiency, shock, and some neoplastic conditions.

Definition from MeSH (D006854), National Library of Medicine, read 2026-09-23. NLM revises MeSH; this copy may not reflect its current record.

CHEBI:17650ChEBI

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Structure

2D depiction · 3D model shown

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A generated conformer of cortisol — one low-energy arrangement PubChem computed, not a measured structure. Hydrogens are not drawn; the formula counts them.

Class: Organic compound
Formula: C21H30O5
Mass: 362.466 g/mol
Charge: 0
InChIKey: JYGXADMDTFJGBT-VWUMJDOOSA-N
SMILES: [H][C@@]12CC[C@](O)(C(=O)CO)[C@@]1(C)C[C@H](O)[C@@]1([H])[C@@]2([H])CCC2=CC(=O)CC[C@@]21C
Look it up: ChEBI PubChem By InChIKey

Identity from ChEBI, geometry from PubChem. Not evidence.

What it touches on the way

Mechanistic reach

11 entities

11 entities reached.

0 reported hops11 assembled from the scaffold

What the reference databases state

Regulatory determinations

LiverTox likelihood score ELiverTox
LiverTox Likelihood Score E — despite extensive use, no evidence that the agent has caused liver injury. Chapter: "Corticosteroids". Source: LiverTox Master List (NBK571102).
The document·Public Domain (NLM/NIH)·Transcribed, not assessed

Statements

32 statements

32 statements · 2 reference databases · Subject: cortisol · Sources: Human-GEM, Rhea

Order

11-deoxycortisol is converted to cortisolCompoundHuman-GEM MAR01995Inferred only
cortisone is converted to cortisolCompoundRhea RHEA:68616Inferred only
cortisol is converted to cortisoneCompoundHuman-GEM MAR01996Inferred only
cortisol is converted to cortisoneCompoundHuman-GEM MAR07942Inferred only
cortisol is converted to cortisoneCompoundHuman-GEM MAR07943Inferred only
cortisol is converted to cortisoneCompoundRhea RHEA:50208Inferred only
cortisol is converted to cortisoneCompoundRhea RHEA:68616Inferred only
cortisone is converted to cortisolCompoundHuman-GEM MAR07942Inferred only
cortisone is converted to cortisolCompoundHuman-GEM MAR07943Inferred only
cortisol is metabolised by CYP11B1ProteinHuman-GEM MAR02001Inferred only
cortisol is metabolised by CYP11B1ProteinHuman-GEM MAR01999Inferred only
cortisol is metabolised by CYP11B1ProteinHuman-GEM MAR02000Inferred only

Show the remaining 20

cortisol is metabolised by CYP11B2ProteinHuman-GEM MAR02000Inferred only
cortisol is metabolised by CYP11B2ProteinHuman-GEM MAR02001Inferred only
cortisol is metabolised by CYP11B2ProteinHuman-GEM MAR01999Inferred only
cortisol is metabolised by CYP11B2ProteinRhea RHEA:76019Inferred only
cortisol is metabolised by CYP17A1ProteinHuman-GEM MAR01999Inferred only
cortisol is metabolised by CYP17A1ProteinHuman-GEM MAR03257Inferred only
cortisol is metabolised by CYP17A1ProteinHuman-GEM MAR02001Inferred only
cortisol is metabolised by CYP17A1ProteinHuman-GEM MAR02000Inferred only
cortisol is metabolised by CYP21A2ProteinHuman-GEM MAR01990Inferred only
cortisol is metabolised by CYP3A4ProteinRhea RHEA:55828Inferred only
cortisol is a substrate of AKR1D1ProteinRhea RHEA:46644Inferred only
cortisol is a substrate of BCO2ProteinHuman-GEM MAR01999Inferred only
cortisol is a substrate of CBR1ProteinRhea RHEA:70215Inferred only
cortisol is a substrate of HSD11B1ProteinHuman-GEM MAR01996Inferred only
cortisol is a substrate of HSD11B1ProteinHuman-GEM MAR07942Inferred only
cortisol is a substrate of HSD11B1ProteinRhea RHEA:68616Inferred only
cortisol is a substrate of HSD11B1LProteinRhea RHEA:68616Inferred only
cortisol is a substrate of HSD11B2ProteinRhea RHEA:50208Inferred only
cortisol is a substrate of HSD11B2ProteinHuman-GEM MAR07943Inferred only
cortisol is a substrate of HSD17B10ProteinRhea RHEA:42012Inferred only

Reactions

25 reactions

MAM00283c+NAD(+)cortisol+proton+NADH(2-)
Catalysed by HSD3B1 or HSD3B2
Reaction pageLeft to rightBalancedEC 1.1.1.145, 5.3.3.1cytosol
Human-GEM MAR01951CC BY 4.0Reference data
cortisol+water+NADP(3-)MAM00603c+proton+NADPH(4-)+dioxygen
Catalysed by CYP21A2
Reaction pageLeft to rightBalancedEC 1.14.14.16cytosol
Human-GEM MAR01990CC BY 4.0Reference data
11-deoxycortisol+proton+NADPH(4-)+dioxygencortisol+water+NADP(3-)
Catalysed by CYP11B1 or CYP11B2
Reaction pageLeft to rightBalancedEC 1.14.15.4mitochondrial matrix
Human-GEM MAR01995CC BY 4.0Reference data
cortisol+NADP(3-)cortisone+proton+NADPH(4-)
Catalysed by HSD11B1
Reaction pageLeft to rightBalancedEC 1.1.1.146cytosol
Human-GEM MAR01996CC BY 4.0Reference data
cortisolcortisol
Reaction pageReversibleBalancedcytosol, mitochondrial matrix
Human-GEM MAR01997CC BY 4.0Reference data
cortisolcortisol
Reaction pageReversibleBalancedcytosol, endoplasmic reticulum
Human-GEM MAR01998CC BY 4.0Reference data
cortisol+proton+2NADPH(4-)+dioxygen11beta-hydroxyandrost-4-ene-3,17-dione+acetate+2water+2NADP(3-)
Catalysed by CYP17A1 or CYP11B1 or CYP11B2 or BCO2
Reaction pageLeft to rightBalancedEC 1.14.15.4, 1.14.14.19cytosol
Human-GEM MAR01999CC BY 4.0Reference data
cortisol+proton+2NADPH(4-)+dioxygen11beta-hydroxyandrost-4-ene-3,17-dione+acetate+2water+2NADP(3-)
Catalysed by CYP17A1 or CYP11B1 or CYP11B2
Reaction pageLeft to rightBalancedEC 1.14.15.4, 1.14.99.-mitochondrial matrix
Human-GEM MAR02000CC BY 4.0Reference data
cortisol+proton+2NADPH(4-)+dioxygen11beta-hydroxyandrost-4-ene-3,17-dione+acetate+2water+2NADP(3-)
Catalysed by CYP17A1 or CYP11B1 or CYP11B2
Reaction pageLeft to rightBalancedEC 1.14.15.4, 1.14.99.-endoplasmic reticulum
Human-GEM MAR02001CC BY 4.0Reference data
cortisol+proton+NADPH(4-)11beta-hydroxyandrost-4-ene-3,17-dione+acetaldehyde+water+NADP(3-)
Catalysed by CYP17A1
Reaction pageLeft to rightBalancedEC 2.3.1.65endoplasmic reticulum
Human-GEM MAR03257CC BY 4.0Reference data
cortisone+proton+NADPH(4-)cortisol+NADP(3-)
Catalysed by HSD11B1
Reaction pageReversibleBalancedEC 1.1.1.146endoplasmic reticulum
Human-GEM MAR07942CC BY 4.0Reference data
cortisone+proton+NADH(2-)cortisol+NAD(+)
Catalysed by HSD11B2
Reaction pageReversibleBalancedEC 1.1.1.-endoplasmic reticulum
Human-GEM MAR07943CC BY 4.0Reference data

Show the remaining 13

Other names

15 names

Resolves to: cortisol

Also called: (11beta)-11,17,21-trihydroxypregn-4-ene-3,20-dione(11β)-11,17,21-trihydroxypregn-4-ene-3,20-dione11beta-hydrocortisone11beta,17alpha,21-Trihydroxy-4-pregnene-3,20-dione11β-hydrocortisone11β,17α,21-trihydroxy-4-pregnene-3,20-dione17-hydroxycorticosterone4-pregnen-11beta,17alpha,21-triol-3,20-dione4-pregnen-11β,17α,21-triol-3,20-dionehydrocortisoneKendall's compound FReichstein's substance MST 21:3;O5
Systematic name: 11beta,17,21-trihydroxypregn-4-ene-3,20-dione11β,17,21-trihydroxypregn-4-ene-3,20-dione