hormone produced by the adrenal cortex (see adrenal gland ).
It participates in the regulation of the conversion of protein s to carbohydrate s, and to some extent it regulates salt metabolism . Introduced medically in 1948 for its anti-inflammatory effect to treat arthritis , it has been largely replaced by related compounds that do not produce its undesired side effects, which include edema , increased stomach acidity, and imbalances in sodium, potassium, and nitrogen metabolism. See also Cushing syndrome .