Hydrocortisone 2.5% ointment
Requires a prescription from a doctor or prescriber
Topical corticosteroids
Official documents, adverse reaction reporting, and safety monitoring
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Official medicine documents
Safety monitoring data
Yellow Card reports
The MHRA Yellow Card scheme collects reports of suspected side effects from healthcare professionals and patients. View the Drug Analysis Profile (iDAP) for real-world adverse reaction data.
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Suspected adverse reactions reported for Hydrocortisone
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Report a side effect
Submit a Yellow Card report to the MHRA
Data from the MHRA Yellow Card scheme. A reported reaction does not necessarily mean the medicine caused it. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
EudraVigilance
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) collects suspected adverse reaction reports from across the EU/EEA through the EudraVigilance system. Search for safety data on this medicine.
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Suspected adverse reactions reported for Hydrocortisone
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EudraVigilance data is published by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). A suspected adverse reaction is not necessarily caused by the medicine.
12 branded products available
MHRA licensed products
View all licensed products for Hydrocortisone on the MHRA register
Hydrocortisone 2.5% ointment
Hydrocortisone 2.5% ointment
Hydrocortisone 2.5% ointment
Hydrocortisone 2.5% ointment
Hydrocortisone 2.5% ointment
This is the NHS Drug Tariff indicative price used for reimbursement purposes. It may not reflect the price paid by patients or pharmacies.
View full Drug TariffSource: NHS Drug Tariff via NHSBSA. Derived from dm+d VMPP (Virtual Medicinal Product Pack) pricing data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Therapeutically similar medicines
Similarity based on WHO Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification and NHS BNF section grouping. Source data: NHS dm+d via TRUD (OGL v3.0), WHO ATC/DDD Index.
NHS prescribing volume and spending trends
Clinical guidelines and formulary information
British National Formulary
Hydrocortisone
Source: British National Formulary, NICE. Joint Formulary Committee. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
NICE clinical guidance(8)
Adrenal insufficiency: identification and management (NG243)
Secondary bacterial infection of eczema and other common skin conditions: antimicrobial prescribing (NG190)
Specialist neonatal respiratory care for babies born preterm (NG124)
Pneumonia: diagnosis and management (NG250)
Crohn's disease: management (NG129)
COVID-19 rapid guideline: managing COVID-19 (NG191)
Otitis media with effusion in under 12s (NG233)
The hTEE system for transoesophageal echocardiographic monitoring of haemodynamic instability (MIB7)
Source: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Check stock at pharmacies and supply information
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Supply & product information
Official product databases and supply status monitoring
Pharmacy links redirect to the retailer's own search and do not represent real-time stock levels. emc (electronic medicines compendium) is operated by Datapharm Ltd. Shortage information sourced from NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service (SPS), sps.nhs.uk.
Codes for healthcare professionals and prescribing systems
These codes are used by healthcare IT systems and prescribers to identify this medicine.
NHS UK identifiers
Browse tools
SNOMED CT and dm+d codes from NHS TRUD (Technology Reference data Update Distribution), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. BNF codes from NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). ATC codes from the WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology (whocc.no).
Active and completed clinical studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health (NIH). Data accessed via ClinicalTrials.gov API v2. Trial information is provided for research purposes and does not constitute medical advice.
Pharmacology and chemical data from DrugBank
Key facts
Drug status
Approved
Major interactions
None known
Half-life
2.15h
Mechanism
The short-term effects of corticosteroids are decreased vasodilation and permeab…
Food interactions
1 warning
Human targets
2 targets
Data: DrugBank · CC BY-NC 4.0
Pharmacokinetics at a glance
Absorption
0.2-0.3 mg/k
[A188354]…
Half-life
2.15h
Protein binding
90.1%
Volume of distribution
39.82L
[A188354]
Metabolism
Elimination
[A187436]
However, data regarding the exact proportion is not readily available.
[A188387]…
Clearance
12.85L/h
Pharmacokinetic data: DrugBank · CC BY-NC 4.0
Hydrocortisone was granted FDA approval on 5 August 1952.[L10574]
[L10529][L10532]
Hydrocortisone tablets are indicated for certain endocrine, rheumatic, collagen, allergic, ophthalmic, respiratory, hematologic, neoplastic, edematous, gastrointestinal, and other conditions.
[L10535]
A hydrocortisone enema is indicated for ulcerative colitis,[L10538] a topical ointment with antibiotics is indicated for corticosteroid responsive dermatoses with infections,[L7772] and a topical cream with [acyclovir] is indicated to treat cold sores.
[L7321]
Oral granules of hydrocortisone are used as a replacement therapy for Adrenocortical Insufficiency (AI) in children under 17 years of age.
[L16533]
Known interactions with other medications. Always consult a healthcare professional.
Showing 50 of 1240 interactions
[L10529][L10532][L10535][L10538][L7772][L7321]
Chronic high doses of glucocorticoids can lead to the development of cataract, glaucoma, hypertension, water retention, hyperlipidemia, peptic ulcer, pancreatitis, myopathy, osteoporosis, mood changes, psychosis, dermal atrophy, allergy, acne, hypertrichosis, immune suppression, decreased resistance to infection, moon face, hyperglycemia, hypocalcemia, hypophosphatemia, metabolic acidosis, growth suppression, and secondary adrenal insufficiency.
[A188405]
Overdose may be treated by adjusting the dose or stopping the corticosteroid as well as initiating symptomatic and supportive treatment.
[A188405]
Glucocorticoids inhibit neutrophil apoptosis and demargination; they inhibit phospholipase A2, which decreases the formation of arachidonic acid derivatives; they inhibit NF-Kappa B and other inflammatory transcription factors; they promote anti-inflammatory genes like interleukin-10.[A187463]
Lower doses of corticosteroids provide an anti-inflammatory effect, while higher doses are immunosuppressive.[A187463] High doses of glucocorticoids for an extended period bind to the mineralocorticoid receptor, raising sodium levels and decreasing potassium levels.[A187463]
How the body processes this drug — absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination
[A188354]
Following the oral administration of hydrocortisone at a dose of 0.2-0.3 mg/kg/day, the mean Cmax and AUC of plasma free cortisol were 32.69 nmol/L and 90.63 h x nmol/L, respectively.
[A188354]
The mean Cmax and AUC of plasma total cortisol were 514.47 nmol/L and 1743.93 h x nmol/L, respectively.
[A188354]
Following the dose of 0.4-0.6 mg/kg/day, the mean Cmax and AUC of plasma free cortisol were 70.81 nmol/L and 199.11 h x nmol/L.
[A188354]
The mean Cmax and AUC of plasma total cortisol were 754.94 nmol/L and 2533.02 h x nmol/L, respectively.
[A188354]
Topical hydrocortisone cream is 4-19% bioavailable [A188375] with a Tmax of 24h.
[A188372]
Hydrocortisone retention enemas have a bioavailability of 0.810 for slow absorbers and 0.502 for rapid absorbers.
[A188378]
Slow absorbers take up hydrocortisone at a rate of 0.361±0.255/h while fast absorbers take up hydrocortisone at a rate of 1.05±0.255/h.
[A188378]
A 20mg IV dose of hydrocortisone has an AUC of 1163±277ng\*h/mL.
[A188381]
[A188354]
A 20mg IV dose of hydrocortisone has a terminal half life of 1.9±0.4h.
[A188381]
[A184223]
[A188354]
[A188321][A188318]
Cortisone is further metabolized to tetrahydrocortisone and dihydrocortisol.
[A188321][A188318]
[A187436]
However, data regarding the exact proportion is not readily available.
[A188387]
[A188354]
A 20mg IV dose of hydrocortisone has a clearance of 18.2±4.2L/h.
[A188381]
Proteins and enzymes this drug interacts with in the body
PMID:27120390 PMID:37478846
Has a dual mode of action: as a transcription factor that binds to glucocorticoid response elements (GRE), both for nuclear and mitochondrial DNA, and as a modulator of other transcription factors .
PMID:28139699
Affects inflammatory responses, cellular proliferation and differentiation in target tissues. Involved in chromatin remodeling .
PMID:9590696
Plays a role in rapid mRNA degradation by binding to the 5' UTR of target mRNAs and interacting with PNRC2 in a ligand-dependent manner which recruits the RNA helicase UPF1 and the mRNA-decapping enzyme DCP1A, leading to RNA decay .
PMID:25775514
Could act as a coactivator for STAT5-dependent transcription upon growth hormone (GH) stimulation and could reveal an essential role of hepatic GR in the control of body growth (By similarity)
PMID:8425544
Plays a role in glucocorticoid-mediated down-regulation of the early phase of the inflammatory response (By similarity). Contributes to the adaptive immune response by enhancing signaling cascades that are triggered by T-cell activation, regulates differentiation and proliferation of activated T-cells .
PMID:17008549
Promotes the differentiation of T-cells into Th1 cells and negatively regulates differentiation into Th2 cells .
PMID:17008549
Has no effect on unstimulated T cells .
PMID:17008549
Negatively regulates hormone exocytosis via activation of the formyl peptide receptors and reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton .
PMID:19625660
Has high affinity for Ca(2+) and can bind up to eight Ca(2+) ions (By similarity).
Displays Ca(2+)-dependent binding to phospholipid membranes .
PMID:2532504 PMID:8557678
Plays a role in the formation of phagocytic cups and phagosomes. Plays a role in phagocytosis by mediating the Ca(2+)-dependent interaction between phagosomes and the actin cytoskeleton (By similarity)
Enzymes involved in drug metabolism — important for understanding drug interactions
Proteins that transport this drug across cell membranes
PMID:2897240 PMID:35970996 PMID:8898203 PMID:9038218 PMID:35507548
Catalyzes the flop of phospholipids from the cytoplasmic to the exoplasmic leaflet of the apical membrane. Participates mainly to the flop of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, beta-D-glucosylceramides and sphingomyelins .
PMID:8898203
Energy-dependent efflux pump responsible for decreased drug accumulation in multidrug-resistant cells PMID:2897240 PMID:35970996 PMID:9038218
PMID:19129463 PMID:7557095
Responsible for intestinal absorption of bile acids (By similarity). Transports dehydroepiandrosterone 3-sulfate (DHEAS), a major circulating steroid secreted by the adrenal cortex, as well as estrone 3-sulfate and 17beta-estradiol 17-O-(beta-D-glucuronate) .
PMID:11159893 PMID:12568656 PMID:19129463 PMID:23918469 PMID:25560245 PMID:9539145
Mediates apical uptake of all-trans-retinol (atROL) across human retinal pigment epithelium, which is essential to maintaining the integrity of the visual cycle and thus vision .
PMID:25560245
Involved in the uptake of clinically used drugs .
PMID:17301733 PMID:20686826 PMID:27777271
Capable of thyroid hormone transport (both T3 or 3,3',5'-triiodo-L-thyronine, and T4 or L-tyroxine) .
PMID:19129463 PMID:20358049
Also transports prostaglandin E2 .
PMID:19129463
Plays roles in blood-brain and -cerebrospinal fluid barrier transport of organic anions and signal mediators, and in hormone uptake by neural cells (By similarity). May also play a role in the reuptake of neuropeptides such as substance P/TAC1 and vasoactive intestinal peptide/VIP released from retinal neurons .
PMID:25132355
May play an important role in plasma and tissue distribution of the structurally diverse chemotherapeutic drugs methotrexate and paclitaxel .
PMID:23243220
Shows a pH-sensitive substrate specificity which may be ascribed to the protonation state of the binding site and leads to a stimulation of substrate transport in an acidic microenvironment .
PMID:19129463
Hydrogencarbonate/HCO3(-) acts as the probable counteranion that exchanges for organic anions .
PMID:19129463
May contribute to regulate the transport of organic compounds in testis across the blood-testis-barrier (Probable)
PMID:14586168 PMID:15644426 PMID:15846473 PMID:16455804 PMID:31553721
Transports organic anions such as estrone 3-sulfate (E1S) and urate in exchange for dicarboxylates such as glutarate or ketoglutarate (2-oxoglutarate) .
PMID:14586168 PMID:15846473 PMID:15864504 PMID:22108572 PMID:23832370
Plays an important role in the excretion of endogenous and exogenous organic anions, especially from the kidney and the brain .
PMID:11306713 PMID:14586168 PMID:15846473
E1S transport is pH- and chloride-dependent and may also involve E1S/cGMP exchange .
PMID:26377792
Responsible for the transport of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and prostaglandin F2(alpha) (PGF2(alpha)) in the basolateral side of the renal tubule .
PMID:11907186
Involved in the transport of neuroactive tryptophan metabolites kynurenate and xanthurenate .
PMID:22108572 PMID:23832370
Functions as a biopterin transporters involved in the uptake and the secretion of coenzymes tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), dihydrobiopterin (BH2) and sepiapterin to urine, thereby determining baseline levels of blood biopterins .
PMID:28534121
May be involved in the basolateral transport of steviol, a metabolite of the popular sugar substitute stevioside .
PMID:15644426
May participate in the detoxification/ renal excretion of drugs and xenobiotics, such as the histamine H(2)-receptor antagonists fexofenadine and cimetidine, the antibiotic benzylpenicillin (PCG), the anionic herbicide 2,4-dichloro-phenoxyacetate (2,4-D), the diagnostic agent p-aminohippurate (PAH), the antiviral acyclovir (ACV), and the mycotoxin ochratoxin (OTA), by transporting these exogenous organic anions across the cell membrane in exchange for dicarboxylates such as 2-oxoglutarate .
PMID:11669456 PMID:15846473 PMID:16455804
Contributes to the renal uptake of potent uremic toxins (indoxyl sulfate (IS), indole acetate (IA), hippurate/N-benzoylglycine (HA) and 3-carboxy-4-methyl-5-propyl-2-furanpropionate (CMPF)), pravastatin, PCG, E1S and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), and is partly involved in the renal uptake of temocaprilat (an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor) .
PMID:14675047
May contribute to the release of cortisol in the adrenals .
PMID:15864504
Involved in one of the detoxification systems on the choroid plexus (CP), removes substrates such as E1S or taurocholate (TC), PCG, 2,4-D and PAH, from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to the blood for eventual excretion in urine and bile (By similarity). Also contributes to the uptake of several other organic compounds such as the prostanoids prostaglandin E(2) and prostaglandin F(2-alpha), L-carnitine, and the therapeutic drugs allopurinol, 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) (By similarity). Mediates the transport of PAH, PCG, and the statins pravastatin and pitavastatin, from the cerebrum into the blood circulation across the blood-brain barrier (BBB).
In summary, plays a role in the efflux of drugs and xenobiotics, helping reduce their undesired toxicological effects on the body (By similarity)
Proteins that carry this drug through the body
Regulates the plasma metabolic clearance rate of steroid hormones by controlling their plasma concentration
ATC S01CB03
ATC A01AC03
ATC S01BA02
ATC S01CA03
ATC D07AA02
ATC S01BB01
ATC D07XA01
ATC D07BA04
ATC S02CA03
ATC A07EA02
ATC S02BA01
ATC R01AD60
ATC H02AB09
ATC D07CA01
ATC S03CA04
ATC C05AA01
Chemical identifiers
CAS, UNII, InChI Key and database cross-references
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Chemical identifiers
CAS, UNII, InChI Key and database cross-references
Linked compound data from DrugBank Open Data (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Hydrocortisone
Additional database identifiers
Drugs Product Database (DPD)
7532
Drugs Product Database (DPD)
7531
Drugs Product Database (DPD)
7509
Drugs Product Database (DPD)
21059
Drugs Product Database (DPD)
7529
ChemSpider
5551
BindingDB
13775
PDB
HCY
Guide to Pharmacology
2868
ZINC
ZINC000013540519
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:7978
GenAtlas
NR3C1
GeneCards
NR3C1
GenBank Gene Database
X03225
GenBank Protein Database
31680
Guide to Pharmacology
625
UniProt Accession
GCR_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:533
GenAtlas
ANXA1
GeneCards
ANXA1
GenBank Gene Database
BC001275
GenBank Protein Database
12654863
UniProt Accession
ANXA1_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:2637
GenAtlas
CYP3A4
GeneCards
CYP3A4
GenBank Gene Database
M18907
Guide to Pharmacology
1337
UniProt Accession
CP3A4_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:2638
GenAtlas
CYP3A5
GeneCards
CYP3A5
GenBank Gene Database
J04813
GenBank Protein Database
181346
Guide to Pharmacology
1338
UniProt Accession
CP3A5_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:2640
GeneCards
CYP3A7
GenBank Gene Database
D00408
GenBank Protein Database
220149
UniProt Accession
CP3A7_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:2591
GenAtlas
CYP11B1
GeneCards
CYP11B1
GenBank Gene Database
M32879
GenBank Protein Database
181333
Guide to Pharmacology
1359
UniProt Accession
C11B1_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:2592
GeneCards
CYP11B2
GenBank Gene Database
X54741
GenBank Protein Database
35200
Guide to Pharmacology
1360
UniProt Accession
C11B2_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:2622
GenAtlas
CYP2C8
GeneCards
CYP2C8
GenBank Gene Database
M17397
Guide to Pharmacology
1325
UniProt Accession
CP2C8_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:388
GeneCards
AKR1D1
GenBank Gene Database
Z28339
GenBank Protein Database
431857
UniProt Accession
AK1D1_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:11285
GenAtlas
SRD5A2
GeneCards
SRD5A2
GenBank Gene Database
M74047
GenBank Protein Database
338469
Guide to Pharmacology
2633
UniProt Accession
S5A2_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:5209
GenAtlas
HSD11B2
GeneCards
HSD11B2
GenBank Gene Database
U14631
GenBank Protein Database
565082
Guide to Pharmacology
3143
UniProt Accession
DHI2_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:5208
GenAtlas
HSD11B1
GeneCards
HSD11B1
GenBank Gene Database
M76665
GenBank Protein Database
179475
Guide to Pharmacology
2763
UniProt Accession
DHI1_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:2610
GenAtlas
CYP2A6
GeneCards
CYP2A6
GenBank Gene Database
X13897
Guide to Pharmacology
1321
UniProt Accession
CP2A6_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:2597
GenAtlas
CYP1B1
GeneCards
CYP1B1
GenBank Gene Database
U03688
GenBank Protein Database
501031
Guide to Pharmacology
1320
UniProt Accession
CP1B1_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:2615
GeneCards
CYP2B6
GenBank Gene Database
M29874
GenBank Protein Database
181296
Guide to Pharmacology
1324
UniProt Accession
CP2B6_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:2623
GenAtlas
CYP2C9
GeneCards
CYP2C9
GenBank Gene Database
AY341248
Guide to Pharmacology
1326
UniProt Accession
CP2C9_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:2621
GeneCards
CYP2C19
GenBank Gene Database
M61854
GenBank Protein Database
181344
Guide to Pharmacology
1328
UniProt Accession
CP2CJ_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:10839
GenAtlas
SHBG
GeneCards
SHBG
GenBank Gene Database
X16349
GenBank Protein Database
296673
UniProt Accession
SHBG_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:1540
GenAtlas
SERPINA6
GeneCards
SERPINA6
GenBank Gene Database
J02943
GenBank Protein Database
179971
UniProt Accession
CBG_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:40
GenAtlas
ABCB1
GeneCards
ABCB1
GenBank Gene Database
M14758
GenBank Protein Database
307180
Guide to Pharmacology
768
UniProt Accession
MDR1_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:10956
GeneCards
SLCO1A2
GenBank Gene Database
U21943
GenBank Protein Database
885978
Guide to Pharmacology
1219
UniProt Accession
SO1A2_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:10972
GeneCards
SLC22A8
GenBank Gene Database
AF097491
GenBank Protein Database
4378059
Guide to Pharmacology
1027
UniProt Accession
S22A8_HUMAN
International reference pricing
Reference pricing from DrugBank. Prices are indicative and may not reflect current UK costs.
Source: DrugBank. Used under CC BY-NC 4.0 academic licence for non-commercial purposes.
Patent information
6 active patents, 5 expired
Source: DrugBank · CC BY-NC 4.0. Patent data sourced from national patent offices. Expiry dates may not reflect extensions, regulatory exclusivity periods, or legal challenges.
DrugBank citations
If you use DrugBank data in your research, please cite the following publications: