3,5-Dicaffeoylquinic acid is an active component naturally occurring in many plants such as Helichrysum populifolium, Ipomoea batatas, Centella asiatica, Aster scaber and green coffee beans to name a few. It is a selective inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 integrase and can be a promising agent for the treatment of patients with HIV infection.

Cholanic acid is the archetypal C24 bile acid skeleton from which all other C24 bile acids can be derived. Of the two common isomers: 5alpha and 5Beta, the last isomer is the most biologically relevant. 5-Beta Cholanic Acid has been studied as a modulator of the gamma-secretase complex as it pertains to Alzheimer's disease; it has also been identified as an inhibitor of the Ephrin type-A receptor 2 that is involved in cancer cell signaling and angiogenesis.

Scutellarin is the main bioactive component of Breviscapine prepared from the traditional Chinese herb Erilgeron breviscapus (Vant) Hand-Mazz. Scutellarin demonstrated protective effect on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular ischemia. The potential cytoprotective effects of the drug against cerebrovascular ischemia were evidenced by reducing cerebral infarct sizes, ameliorating neurological deficit and inhibiting neuronal apoptosis. Scutellarin is capable of inhibiting I(Na) in neurons through predominantly affecting the inactivated state of I(Na). Scutellarin may alleviate cognitive impairment in a mouse model of hypoxia by promoting proliferation and neuronal differentiation of neural stem cells. Scutellarin might play an therapeutic role by inhibiting oxidative stress and apoptosis in Alzheimer's disease treatment.

Isopimaric acid is a widely available tricyclic diterpenoid well represented in the resin of conifers of the genera Pinus, Larix, and Picea. It exhibits interesting biological and pharmaceutical properties such as antimicrobial, antiviral, antiallergenic, and anti‐inflammatory activities. It acts as a large conductance Ca2+activated K+ channel (BK channel) opener. BK channel openers have emerged as potentially useful agents in the therapy of various diseases associated with both the central nervous system and smooth muscle system.

Piceatannol (3,3′,4,5′-tetrahydroxy-trans-stilbene; PIC) is a naturally occurring stilbene present in diverse plant sources. Piceatannol is a hydroxylated analog of resveratrol and produced from resveratrol by microsomal cytochrome P450 1A11/2 and 1B1 activities. Like resveratrol, Piceatannol has a broad spectrum of health beneficial effects, many of which are attributable to its antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities. Piceatannol exerts anticarcinogenic effects by targeting specific proteins involved in regulating cancer cell proliferation, survival/death, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, etc. in the tumor microenvironment. Piceatannol also has other health promoting and disease preventing functions, such as anti-obese, antidiabetic, neuroprotective, cardioprotective, anti-allergic, anti-aging properties. A comprehensive review of PIC concludes that the compound has the health promoting and disease preventive potential. However, low water-solubility and bioavailability of PIC limit its pharmaceutical application and also use in functional foods. In this context, it is noticeable that beta-cyclodextrin was found to improve the bioavailability, the solubility and the stability of Piceatannol.

WIN 55212-2 is the synthetic cannabimimetic compound. It is a potent aminoalkylindole cannabinoid receptor agonist. WIN 55,212-2 increases expression of anti-oxidant Cu/Zn SOD and is able to prevent inflammation induced by Aβ1-42 in cultured astrocytes. It exerts neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory actions against Aβ damage through both CB₁ and CB₂ receptors. WIN 55212-2 attenuates hyperalgesia and allodynia in a rat model of neuropathic pain. In the clinical trial, it was revealed that WIN 55212-2, applied topically, decreases the intraocular pressure of human glaucoma resistant to conventional therapies within the first 30 min.

HU-210 is a synthetic cannabinoid. HU-210 is a highly potent cannabinoid receptor agonist. Also, it displays agonist activity at GPR55. HU-210 administration in adult rats results in a dose-dependent inhibition of plasma growth hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone; modifications of plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone levels reveal a dose-dependent action on the pituitary-adrenal axis after acute exposure. HU-210 block beta-amyloid peptide-induced activation of cultured microglial cells, as judged by mitochondrial activity, cell morphology, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha release; these effects are independent of the antioxidant action of cannabinoid compounds and are also exerted by a CB2-selective agonist. HU-210 induced a spatial deficit in the water maze in learning a reference memory task in numerous parameters together with alterations in hippocampal firing patterns of single principal neurons.

ADX-47273 is a research pharmaceutical developed by Addex Therapeutics. It is a novel positive allosteric modulator of the metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5 (mGluR5). ADX-47273 displays antipsychotic, neuromodulatory, and cognition enhancing activities. In vivo, ADX 47273 increases waking and decreases deep sleep behaviors; it also increases late phase long-term potentiation (LTP) and enhances adaptive learning. In other animal models, ADX-47273 decreases amphetamine- and phencyclidine-induced hyperlocomotion and accumbal dopamine levels.

PD-169316 is a selective inhibitor of p38 MAPK. It inhibits p38 MAPK with an IC50 of 89 nM. PD169316, inhibits transforming growth factor beta-induced Smad signaling in human ovarian cancer cells. In an amyloid β (Aβ) rat model of Alzheimer's disease it was demonstrated that caspase-3 and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, two marks of apoptosis, were significantly decreased in the rats pre-treated with PD169316 intracerebroventricularly.This study suggested the potential neuroprotective role of PD 169316 against the neuronal toxicity induced by Aβ.

AstraZeneca was developing the thiazole AR-AO-14418, a selective inhibitor of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β), for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and major depressive disorder. AR-AO-14418 is an important research tool in as much as, at concentrations that AR-AO-14418 is able to inhibit GSK3 activity, this compound did not affect the activity of other 26 protein kinases tested, and especially does not inhibit cdc2 and cdk5, two GSK3-related kinases that are inhibited by published GSK3 inhibitors. Furthermore, AR-AO-14418 constitutes a lead compound with therapeutic potential for the treatment of AD, as well as other neurodegenerative disorders. Later preclinical studies of AR-AO-14418 were discontinued.