Which of the following is a corticosteroid rather than an NSAID?

• A. Aspirin
• B. Fluticasone
• C. Indomethacin
• D. Celecoxib

Answer: (B)

Corticosteroids work by mimicking cortisol and producing broad anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects. A key action is inhibiting phospholipase A2, which stops the release of arachidonic acid and, consequently, the production of inflammatory mediators like prostaglandins and leukotrienes. This broad suppression of inflammation also dampens immune responses, making corticosteroids useful for conditions like asthma, allergies, and various inflammatory diseases.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) mainly reduce inflammation and pain by blocking cyclooxygenase enzymes (COX-1 and/or COX-2), lowering prostaglandin synthesis. They don’t provide the same level of immunosuppression and do not significantly affect leukotriene pathways.

Among the options, the corticosteroid is fluticasone, an inhaled glucocorticoid. The others are NSAIDs: aspirin and indomethacin are nonselective COX inhibitors, and celecoxib is COX-2 selective.