Methods and compositions for enhancing the activity and/or duration of actionof soft anti-inflammatory steroids of the haloalkyl 17a-alkoxy-11.szlig.-hydroxyandrost-4-en-3-one-17.szlig.-carboxylate type and the corresponding 1,4compounds and of anti-inflammatory steroids of the hydrocortisone andprednisolone type are described. The enhancing agents have the formula:wherein R is H or C1-C4 alkyl; Z1 is carbonyl or .szlig.-hydroxymethylene; X1is -O- or -S-; R5 is -OH, -OR6, -OCOOR6 or -OCOR7 wherein R6 is C1-C4 alkyland R7 is C1-C4 alkyl, fluoromethyl or chloromethyl; and the dotted line inring A indicates that the 1,2-linkage is saturated or unsaturated; with theproviso that when R is C1-C4 alkyl, then R5 is -OH.