Betamethasone is a glucocorticoid steroid with anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties.
Target: Glucocorticoid Receptor
Betamethasone is a potent glucocorticoid steroid with anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties. Unlike other drugs with these effects, betamethasone does not cause water retention. The median (range) IC50 value for betamethasone butyrate propionate evaluated in the streptococcal pyrogenic enterotoxin A-stimulated peripheral-blood mononuclear cells was 291.6 (0.001-1171.5) ng/ml, which was significantly higher than the value 0.072 (0.01-222.5) ng/ml found in concanavalin A-stimulated peripheral-blood mononuclear cells (P=0.0245) [1]. Children exposed prenatally to betamethasone (n = 121) did not differ in systolic or diastolic blood pressure from children exposed to placebo (n = 102) (mean difference: systolic: -1.6 mm Hg; 95% confidence interval: -4.1 to 0.8 mm Hg; diastolic: -0.3 mm Hg; 95% confidence interval: -2.5 to 1.8 mm Hg) [2]. Intra-articular corticosteroid injection of 6 mg of betamethasone acetate/betamethasone sodium phosphate at the knee joint was not significantly associated with SAI at the time points tested [3].
Clinical indications: Dermatitis; Discoid lupus erythematosus; Eczema; Lichen; Prurigo; Psoriasis
Toxicity: Symptoms of overdose include burning, itching, irritation, dryness, folliculitis, hypertrichosis, acneiform eruptions, hypopigmentation, perioral dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, maceration of the skin, secondary infection, skin atrophy, striae, and miliaria.

Beclometasone dipropionate  

Beclometasone dipropionate is a potent glucocorticoid agonist; it is a prodrug of the free form, beclometasone.
IC50 Value: 0.2 nM (Inhibiting thymidine incorporation) [1]
Target: glucocorticoid receptor
in vitro: Cortisol and beclomethasone dipropionate were more potent than salbutamol in inhibiting thymidine incorporation with IC50 values of 5 nM and 0.2 nM respectively. Cortisol 100 nM led to a 16.6 +/- 6.5% reduction and beclomethasone dipropionate 3 nM led to a 17.8 +/- 5.8% reduction in cell number [1].
in vivo: Controlled trials involving 497 adults and children demonstrated similar clinical efficacy between nebulized BDP and either nebulized fluticasone propionate or nebulized budesonide. Meta-analyses show that BDP, like other inhaled corticosteroids, has no major influence on patient height, urinary cortisol concentration, or bone metabolism [2]. Beclometasone dipropionate (BDP) 800 microgday(-1) suspension for nebulization and budesonide (BUD) 750 microg day(-1) given by nebulization in a twice-daily regimen, and when used in addition to the usual maintenance therapy, resulted in comparable clinical efficacy across all parameters [3].
Clinical trial: Efficacy and Tolerability of Beclometasone/Formoterol Single Inhaler in Patients With Moderate to Severe Persistent Asthma. Phase 3