Which of the following is true regarding corticosteroids?

Corticosteroids are a class of steroid hormones that are produced in the adrenal cortex and have significant anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties. They are widely used in veterinary medicine to treat a variety of conditions, including allergies, autoimmune diseases, and inflammatory disorders. The important detail here is that while corticosteroids are effective in managing these conditions, they can also lead to a variety of adverse effects, such as increased susceptibility to infections, gastrointestinal ulcers, and changes in metabolism.

This dual nature of corticosteroids—providing therapeutic benefits while also carrying the risk of adverse effects—makes the statement about them having both therapeutic and adverse effects accurate. Understanding this balance is crucial in veterinary pharmacology, as it guides practitioners in weighing the risks versus the benefits when prescribing these medications.

The other options do not accurately depict the characteristics of corticosteroids. They are not nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; rather, they are a distinct group that has anti-inflammatory effects but operates through different mechanisms than NSAIDs. Corticosteroids are also not limited to acute conditions; they can be employed in both acute and chronic conditions. Additionally, while some corticosteroids can be synthetically produced, many are also naturally occurring hormones, meaning they are not exclusively synthetic.