Cortisol
Human natural glucocorticoid hormone / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Cortisol?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
Cortisol is a steroid hormone, in the glucocorticoid class of hormones and a stress hormone. When used as a medication, it is known as hydrocortisone.
Names | |
---|---|
IUPAC name
11β,17α,21-Trihydroxypregn-4-ene-3,20-dione | |
Systematic IUPAC name
(1R,3aS,3bS,9aR,9bS,11aS)-1,10-Dihydroxy-1-(hydroxyacetyl)-9a,11a-dimethyl-1,2,3,3a,3b,4,5,8,9,9a,9b,10,11,11a-tetradecahydro-7H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthen-7-one | |
Identifiers | |
3D model (JSmol) |
|
ChEBI | |
ChEMBL | |
ChemSpider | |
DrugBank | |
ECHA InfoCard | 100.000.019 |
KEGG | |
PubChem CID |
|
UNII | |
CompTox Dashboard (EPA) |
|
| |
| |
Properties | |
C21H30O5 | |
Molar mass | 362.460 g/mol |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
|
It is produced in many animals, mainly by the zona fasciculata of the adrenal cortex in the adrenal gland.[1] It is produced in other tissues in lower quantities.[2] It is released with a diurnal cycle and its release is increased in response to stress and low blood-glucose concentration.[1] It functions to increase blood sugar through gluconeogenesis, to suppress the immune system, and to aid in the metabolism of fat, protein, and carbohydrates.[3] It also decreases bone formation.[4] Many of these functions are carried out by cortisol binding to glucocorticoid or mineralocorticoid receptors inside the cell, which then bind to DNA to impact gene expression.[1][5]