Glucaric acid is a non-toxic, naturally occurring compound, which is found in small amounts in plants and mammals, including humans. Salts of glucaric acid have potent antiproliferative properties in vivo. The risk of cancer development can be reduced by ingesting food rich in glucaric acid or self-medication with its salts. Glucaric acid inhibits bacterial beta-glucuronidase, thus increasing the excretion of conjugated xenobiotic compounds and decreasing activity of harmful substances. Inhibition of beta-glucuronidase ultimately results in potentially decreasing the risk of carcinogenesis. Calcium salt of the acid demonstrated anti-cancer activity in patients with breast cancer (phase I clinical trial) and in preclinical models of liver, lung, colon and skin cancers. Calcium-D-glucarate is being marketed as a dietary supplement.

Vindesine (desacetyl vinblastine amide sulfate) is a synthetic derivative of vinblastine. Vindesine acts by causing the arrest of cells in metaphase mitosis through its inhibition tubulin mitotic funcitoning. Vindesine is an anti-neoplastic drug for intravenous use which can be used alone or in combination with other oncolytic drugs. Information available at present suggests that Eldisine as a single agent may be useful for the treatment of: acute lymphoblastic leukaemia of childhood resistant to other drugs; blastic crises of chronic myeloid leukaemia; malignant melanoma unresponsive to other forms of therapy; advanced carcinoma of the breast, unresponsive to appropriate endocrine surgery and/or hormonal therapy. Adverse effects associated with the use of vindesine include cellulitis and phlebitis, gastrointestinal bleeding, chills, and fever. It may increase the neuropathy associated with Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome. Vindesine may interact with mitomycin-C (brand name Mutamycin), causing acute bronchospasm within minutes or hours following administration. Phenytoin (brand name Dilantin) may also interact with vindesine, leading to decreased serum levels of phenytoin.

Deptropine citrate is a well-known H1-histamine receptor antagonist and muscarinic receptor antagonist. It is prescribed frequently for treatment of asthma, although there has been a sharp decrease in prescriptions since 1994. Deptropine is gradually being replaced by inhaled beta 2 adrenergic agonists and glucocorticosteroids as the preferred clinical prescription. Recently deptropine has garnered interest as a potential treatment for breast cancer. In vitro studies have shown deptropine citrate has inhibitory effects on cell viability and mammosphere formation in Breast Cancer Stem Cells (BCSCs). However, it does not seem to inhibit the self-renewal capacity of the breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 when it is enriched with Cancer Stem Cells.

Mepitiostane is a epitiostanol prodrug that was developed in Japan by Shionogi. The drug is approved and used exclusively in Japan for the treatment of breast carcinoma and anemia associated with renal failure. Upon administration mepitiostane is metabolized to the active metabolite which binds to and inhibits estrogen receptors.

Didrovaltrate is an active compound derived from Valeriana plant. In experiments with rat HTC cells, didrovaltrate showed considerable cytotoxicity which made it a promising agent for the treatment of cancer. There are no clinical trials available on the drug, however, there are studies reporting its clinical use (under the name Valmane) in patients with kidney cancer, oral cavity cancer, breast cancer and lung cancer. It is believed that the drugs acts by inhibiting the protein synthesis. The current marketing status of the drug is unknown and supposed to be "discontinued".

Carboquone (CQ) is an anticancer alkylating agent synthesized and developed by Arakawa et al. (Sankyo Co, Ltd.) in 1970, having chemical structure, 2,5-bis-(1-aziridinyl)-3-(2-carbamoyloxy-1-methoxyethyl)-6-methyl- 1,4- benzoquinone. The antitumor efficacies of CQ were reported as excellent, however, the side effects are considerably strong. Carboquone is used to treat various forms of cancer. It is indicated for the treatment of metastatic testicular tumors, metastatic ovarian tumors and advanced bladder cancer.

Fadrozole (CGS 16949A) is a tetrahydroimidazole-pyridine derivative is a non-steroidal inhibitor of aromatase. In the third phase of clinical trials it was shown, that this drug has good therapeutic effect as a second-line treatment in postmenopausal women with metastatic breast cancer.

Elliptinium is an antineoplastic agent, which was used in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer in France under the name Celiptium. The drug is known to intercalate into DNA and inhibit topoisomerase II. Several studies have demonstrated that this molecule can be oxidized, yielding a reactive electrophilic form, which is able to bind covalently to a nucleophilic biological molecule.

Bergapten, known as 5-methoxypsoralen, a cumarine-derivate compound, presents in many fruits and vegetables. It has shown antitumor effects in a variety of cell types. The key target of bergapten action in breast cancer cells was identified the oncosuppressor gene PTEN (phosphatase tensin homolog deleted from chromosome 10); bergapten by inducing PTEN expression, produces autophagy in breast cancer cells. Besides, bergapten is under investigation in clinical trial phase III for patients with severe generalized atopic dermatitis.

Aescin, the major active principle from Aesculus hippocastanum (Hippocastanaceae) the horse chestnut tree, has shown satisfactory evidence for a clinically significant activity in chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), haemorrhoids and post-operative oedema. In one controlled trial aescin was shown to be as effective as compression therapy as an alternative to medical treatment for CVI. The therapeutic benefit is well supported by a number of experimental investigations in different animal models, indicative of clearcut anti-oedematous, anti-inflammatory and venotonic properties, mainly related to the molecular mechanism of the agent, allowing improved entry of ions into channels, thus raising venous tension in both in vitro and in vivo conditions. Other mechanisms, i.e. release of PGF2 from veins, antagonism to 5-HT and histamine, reduced catabolism of tissue mucopolysaccharides, further underline the wide ranging mechanisms of the therapeutic activity of aescin. Aescin exists in two forms, α and β. β-aescin (b-escin) appears to be the active component of the mixture and is the molecular form present in major available pharmaceutical products. Beta-aescin has cytotoxic activity toward human colon adenocarcinoma cell lines.