Glucocorticoids keep your body from pumping out so many of the chemicals involved in inflammation. They can also dial back your immune system’s response by changing the way white blood cells work.
Doctors prescribe glucocorticoids for people who get organ transplants. After the procedure, your immune system sees the new organ as an invader and attacks it. Drugs that turn down your immune system, such as glucocorticoids, can keep your body from rejecting the new organ.