Be-Tabs Prednisone is a South African generic of prednisone, a corticosteroid, commonly as 5 mg tablets. It treats inflammatory and autoimmune conditions — asthma attacks, severe allergies, arthritis flares, inflammatory bowel disease and skin conditions. Short courses are usually stopped without tapering; long ones are not.

What is Be Tabs Prednisone?

Be-Tabs Prednisone contains prednisone. “Be-Tabs” identifies the South African manufacturer; the active ingredient and strength are what matter, and 5 mg is the usual tablet.

Prednisone is a corticosteroid — a synthetic version of cortisol, the hormone the adrenal glands produce naturally. It works by switching off the genes that drive inflammation and by damping the immune response. That makes it a far more powerful anti-inflammatory than any NSAID, working through an entirely different mechanism.

Two clarifications worth making.

Prednisone and prednisolone are close relatives. Prednisone is converted by the liver into prednisolone, the active form. Prednisolone is already active, which is why it is preferred in liver disease and in young children. Milligram for milligram they are equivalent.

These are not the steroids associated with bodybuilding. Corticosteroids and anabolic steroids are entirely different classes of medicine with different effects.

It is a Schedule 4 prescription medicine, and the same ingredient is dispensed as Prednisone, Trolic and Panafcort.

What is Be Tabs Prednisone commonly used for?

Prednisone is prescribed across a wide range of conditions:

Asthma attacks and COPD flares, as a short course to settle airway inflammation.
Severe allergic reactions, and severe hay fever.
Rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory arthritis, for flares and sometimes at low amounts long term.
Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis, where it is the primary treatment.
Gout flares, where NSAIDs are unsuitable.
Inflammatory bowel disease flares — ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
Autoimmune conditions, including lupus.
Severe eczema and inflammatory skin conditions.
Some blood disorders and cancers, in specialist regimens.
After transplantation, to prevent rejection.

The asthma use is worth explaining, because people often ask why a tablet is given for a breathing problem. An asthma attack involves both tightened airway muscle and inflamed, swollen airway lining. A reliever inhaler relaxes the muscle within minutes; the inflammation takes longer and is what causes attacks to rebound. Prednisone treats that second part, which is why a short course is often given after a significant attack even once breathing has improved.

Course length is the thing that matters most. A three-to-seven-day course for asthma or a gout flare behaves very differently from months of treatment for an autoimmune condition — and the difference is covered below.

How Be Tabs Prednisone fits into this medicine category

Group	Examples	Note
Corticosteroids	Prednisone (Be-Tabs, Trolic), prednisolone, dexamethasone	Powerful anti-inflammatory and immune-damping
Inhaled corticosteroids	Budesonide, fluticasone	Preventive asthma treatment; minimal systemic effect
NSAIDs	Ibuprofen (Brufen), diclofenac	Milder anti-inflammatory; stomach and kidney cautions
Simple analgesics	Paracetamol (Donapan)	Pain and fever only
Disease-modifying agents	Methotrexate	Prevents joint damage in rheumatoid arthritis

See the pain, inflammation and musculoskeletal medicines hub.

What to check before using Be Tabs Prednisone

Take it in the morning, with or after food. This matches the body’s own cortisol rhythm and reduces sleep disturbance and stomach irritation.

Complete the course as prescribed, and follow whatever tapering instruction you were given rather than assuming.

Tell your prescriber or pharmacist if you:

Have an active infection, including tuberculosis. Steroids damp the immune response and can let an infection worsen — TB reactivation is a real consideration in South Africa.
Have not had chickenpox or measles, or have been exposed to either. Contact during or shortly after a course needs prompt medical advice.
Have diabetes. Steroids raise blood sugar substantially, and monitoring usually needs to increase. Someone with well-controlled diabetes can be markedly hyperglycaemic within days.
Have stomach ulcers, high blood pressure, glaucoma, cataracts, epilepsy, osteoporosis or a mental health condition.
Are due a vaccination — live vaccines are generally avoided during and shortly after a course.
Are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Take an NSAID — combined with a steroid this markedly raises the risk of stomach ulceration.
Have taken repeated or long courses of steroids before.

Follow the dispensing label. This page does not set doses.

Possible cautions and when to ask a pharmacist or doctor

Do not stop a long course abruptly. With courses beyond about three weeks, the adrenal glands reduce their own cortisol production, and stopping suddenly can cause a dangerous shortfall — severe weakness, low blood pressure, vomiting and collapse. Longer courses are tapered under medical direction, sometimes over months. Short courses of a few days do not usually need tapering, but follow your prescriber’s instruction rather than assuming which you are on.

Carry a steroid card for a long course, and tell any doctor, dentist or pharmacist treating you. If you become seriously ill or need surgery while on long-term steroids, the amount usually has to be increased temporarily.

Short courses are generally well tolerated, though they commonly cause increased appetite, disturbed sleep, mood changes, irritability, a flushed face and raised blood sugar.

Longer or repeated courses carry considerably more: weight gain, thinning skin and easy bruising, bone thinning and fracture risk, cataracts and glaucoma, high blood pressure, muscle weakness, and increased infection risk. Anyone on prolonged treatment should have bone protection and blood sugar monitoring discussed.

Mood effects can be pronounced — from mild irritability to significant mood disturbance. Report these.

Infection risk rises, and steroids can mask the usual signs. Report fever or feeling unwell.

Seek medical attention for fever or signs of infection, exposure to chickenpox or measles, severe abdominal pain, vomiting blood or black stools, marked mood or behaviour change, visual disturbance, severe headache, or unusual weakness, dizziness or vomiting — particularly after stopping or reducing.

Related medicine guides

Frequently asked questions

What is Be-Tabs Prednisone used for? Inflammatory and autoimmune conditions — asthma attacks, severe allergies, arthritis flares, inflammatory bowel disease, lupus and severe skin conditions.

Does “Be-Tabs” make it different? No. That is the manufacturer. The active ingredient and strength are what matter.

Can I stop when I feel better? Follow your prescriber’s instruction. Short courses can usually be stopped; courses beyond about three weeks must be tapered, because stopping abruptly can be dangerous.

Will it affect my blood sugar? Yes, often substantially. If you have diabetes, expect to monitor more closely during a course and discuss it with your doctor beforehand.

Is it the same as prednisolone? Nearly. Prednisone is converted by the liver into prednisolone. They are equivalent milligram for milligram.

I have been exposed to chickenpox. Does that matter? Yes — tell a doctor promptly. Chickenpox can be more serious in someone taking steroids.

What Is Be Tabs Prednisone Used For?