Methylprednisolone acetate

Methylprednisolone acetate
Clinical data
Trade namesDepo-Medrol, Depo-Medrate, Depo-Medrone, others
Other namesDepot methylprednisolone acetate; Methylprednisolone 21-acetate; 6α-Methylprednisolone 21-acetate; NSC-48985
Routes of
administration
Intramuscular injection
Drug classCorticosteroid; Glucocorticoid
Legal status
Legal status
Identifiers
  • [2-[(6S,10R,11S,13S,17R)-11,17-Dihydroxy-6,10,13-trimethyl-3-oxo-7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16-octahydro-6H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-17-yl]-2-oxoethyl] acetate
CAS Number
PubChem CID
DrugBank
ChemSpider
UNII
KEGG
ChEBI
ChEMBL
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
ECHA InfoCard100.000.157
Chemical and physical data
FormulaC24H32O6
Molar mass416.514 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)
  • C[C@H]1CC2C3CC[C@@]([C@]3(C[C@@H](C2[C@@]4(C1=CC(=O)C=C4)C)O)C)(C(=O)COC(=O)C)O
  • InChI=1S/C24H32O6/c1-13-9-16-17-6-8-24(29,20(28)12-30-14(2)25)23(17,4)11-19(27)21(16)22(3)7-5-15(26)10-18(13)22/h5,7,10,13,16-17,19,21,27,29H,6,8-9,11-12H2,1-4H3/t13-,16?,17?,19-,21?,22-,23-,24-/m0/s1
  • Key:PLBHSZGDDKCEHR-UFBGDBPHSA-N

Methylprednisolone acetate, sold under the brand names Depo-Medrol among others, is a synthetic glucocorticoid corticosteroid and a corticosteroid ester—specifically the C21 acetate ester of methylprednisolone—which is used in clinical and veterinary medicine. It has been formulated as an aqueous suspension for intramuscular, intra-articular, soft tissue, and intralesional injection alone and in combination with lidocaine, a local anesthetic. Methylprednisolone acetate was previously suspended with polyethylene glycol but is no longer formulated with this excipient due to concerns about possible toxicity. Depo methylprednisolone acetate is a depot injection and is absorbed slowly with a duration of weeks to months with a single intramuscular injection.