2-cyano steroid derivatives including an anti-inflammatory pharmacore represented by the structural formula depicted herein are disclosed, wherein R1 and R2 are each independently: alkyl(C?12), alkenyl(C?12), or a substituted version of either of these groups orR1 and R2 are taken together and are alkanediyl(C?12) or alkenediyl(C?12) and R20, R21, and R22 are each independently: hydrogen, hydroxy, halo, oxo, or amino oralkyl(C?12), alkenyl(C?12), alkoxy(C?12), acyloxy(C?12), alkylsilyloxy(C?12), or asubstituted version of any of these groups or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, tautomer, acetal, or ketal thereof.
