Betamethasone and its derivatives, betamethasone sodium phosphate and betamethasone acetate, are synthetic glucocorticoids. Used for its antiinflammatory or immunosuppressive properties, betamethasone is combined with a mineralocorticoid to manage adrenal insufficiency and is used in the form of betamethasone benzoate, betamethasone dipropionate, or betamethasone valerate for the treatment of inflammation due to corticosteroid-responsive dermatoses. Betamethasone and clotrimazole are used together to treat cutaneous tinea infections. Betamethasone is a glucocorticoid receptor agonist. This leads to changes in genetic expression once this complex binds to the GRE. The antiinflammatory actions of corticosteroids are thought to involve lipocortins, phospholipase A2 inhibitory proteins which, through inhibition arachidonic acid, control the biosynthesis of prostaglandins and leukotrienes. The immune system is suppressed by corticosteroids due to a decrease in the function of the lymphatic system, a reduction in immunoglobulin and complement concentrations, the precipitation of lymphocytopenia, and interference with antigen-antibody binding. Betamethasone binds to plasma transcortin, and it becomes active when it is not bound to transcortin.Betamethasone is used for: treating certain conditions associated with decreased adrenal gland function. It is used to treat severe inflammation caused by certain conditions, including severe asthma, severe allergies, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, certain blood disorders, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and certain eye and skin conditions.

P-32 is a radioactive isotope of phosphorus with a half-life of 14.29 days. Radioactive decay of P-32 produces beta-particles (electrons) which are able to penetrate tissue at a range of 3-8 mm. Phosphate ion P-32 has many applications in medicine and biology. P32 sodium phosphate was approved by the FDA for the treatment of polycythemia vera, chronic myelocytic leukemia, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. P32-phosphate may also be used in the palliative treatment of selected patients with multiple areas of skeletal metastases. As metabolic uptake of phosphorus is selectively increased in malignant tissues, P-32 was also used for cancer diagnostics.

Phosphate is a major intracellular anion in mammals. Hydrogen phopshate is a protonated form of phosphate. In serum, phosphate exists in two forms, dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4) and its salt, mono-hydrogen phosphate (HPO4). At the physiologic pH of 7.40, the pK of H2PO4 is 6.8 and the ratio of HPO4 to H2PO4 is 4:1. Altered level of phosphate can be an indicator of various disorders, such as chronic renal failure, hypoparathyroidism, familial intermittent hyperphosphatemia, endocrine disorders, hyperthyroidism, acromegaly, juvenile hypogonadism, etc. These disorders may lead to either hyper- or hypophosphatemia, which can be caused by cellular shifts of phosphate. Patients with hypophosphatemia can be treated with dietary phosphate supplements (potassium phosphate, for example).