Final answer:
Dexamethasone is a synthetic glucocorticoid with minimal mineralocorticoid activity and is used for its immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory properties.
Step-by-step explanation:
Dexamethasone is a glucocorticoid. Glucocorticoids are a type of corticosteroid hormone released by the adrenal cortex in response to long-term stress. These include cortisol, corticosterone, and cortisone, and they are responsible for several functions in the body such as stimulating the synthesis of glucose, suppressing the immune response, and influencing inflammation. Specific to dexamethasone, it exhibits minimal mineralocorticoid activity, meaning it has little effect on ion and water balance in contrast to mineralocorticoids like aldosterone which regulate these aspects. Dexamethasone is also synthetic and not naturally occurring, and it has a long duration of action, not a short one.