Ampyrone (4-Aminoantipyrine or AAP) is a metabolite of aminophenazone and is an aromatic substance with analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory properties. When combined with the antineoplastic agents, ampyrone decreased their genotoxic, mutagenic, apoptotic, and phagocytic effects. However, ampyrone usually produces side effects, such as the risk of agranulocytosis. Although ampyrone is scarcely ever administered as an analgesic because of the potential side effects, as a raw material, it is mostly used to produce ampyrone derivatives, which have better biological activities. In addition, it is used as a reagent for biochemical reactions producing peroxides or phenols and can also be used to detect phenols in the environment. Exposure to ampyrone could induce changes in the enzyme catalase structure and function.

Kifunensine is an immunoactive compound originally produced by Kitasatosporia kifunense, which displays competitive inhibition against immunosuppressive factor in tumor-bearing mice. Kifunensine has also been shown to be a potent inhibitor of the purified glycoprotein processing enzyme, mannosidase I (MAN1), specifically MAN1A1, MAN1A2, MAN1B1 and MAN1C1. Kifunensine inhibits human endoplasmic reticulum α-1,2-mannosidase I and Golgi Class I mannosidases IA, IB and IC with Ki values of 130 and 23 nM, respectively. Enzymes of this class are important factors for the biosynthesis of various types of N-linked oligosaccharide structures. Inhibition of these structures by kifunensine can interfere with cell-to-cell adhesion, targeting of lysosomal hydrolases to lysosomes, and clearance of asialoglycoproteins from the serum. Kifunensine is used to suppress Endoplasmic Reticulum-Associated Degradation (ERAD) via the inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum-associated mannosidase activity. Kifunensine has shown potential for treatment of sarcoglycanopathies and lysosomal storage disorders. Orphan designation (EU/3/11/906) was granted by the European Commission to Généthon, France, for kifunensine for the treatment of beta sarcoglycanopathy, but it was withdrawn later. Kifunensine’s use as a therapeutic is currently being researched in several conditions that benefit from its ability to inhibit mannosidase I.

Aphidicolin, a tetracyclic diterpenoid obtained from the culture filtrates of Cephalosporium aphidicola and other fungi, inhibits the growth of eukaryotic cells and of certain animal viruses (SV40, Herpes and Vaccinia viruses) by selectively inhibiting the cellular replicative DNA polymerase alpha or the viral-induced DNA polymerases. The arrest of cellular or viral growth is thus due to inhibition of cellular or viral replicative DNA synthesis without interference with mitochondrial DNA synthesis, RNA, protein and nucleic acid precursors synthesis or other major metabolic pathways. The inhibition of all sensitive eukaryotic DNA polymerases by aphidicolin is competitive with respect to dCTP. Aphidicolin has thus proved extremely useful in elucidating the functional role of DNA polymerase alpha in nuclear DNA replication, of DNA polymerase gamma in mitochondrial DNA synthesis and both DNA polymerases beta and alpha in DNA repair synthesis. An important laboratory application of aphidicolin is the synchronization of the cell cycle of eukaryotic cells both in culture and in vivo. The properties of aphidicolinhave recently aroused considerable interest for its possible exploitation in al practice. The mechanism of action of this drug suggests in fact that it may be useful for controlling excessive cell proliferation in patients with cancer, psoriasis or other dermatitis with little or no adverse effect upon non-multiplying cells.

Monomethyl Auristatin E (MMAE) is an antimitotic agent which inhibits cell division by blocking the polymerization of tubulin. Monomethyl Auristatin E is the synthetic analog of the antineoplastic natural product Dolastatin 10, cannot be used as a drug itself. Monomethyl Auristatin E is commonly conjugated with monoclonal antibodies directed at antigens specific to cancer cells for tumor-directed cytotoxicity. MMAE is typically coupled to the antibody via a protease-cleavable linker, allowing separation of the drug from the antibody following intracellular localization. When coupled to cAC10, Monomethyl Auristatin E shows selective cytotoxicity in CD30+ cells and induces G2/M-phase growth arrest and cell death through the induction of apoptosis. When coupled to the anti-CD79b antibody, anti–CD79b-vcMMAE has very potent and broad activity across a large panel of NHL cell lines in vitro. When coupled to the anti-HER2 antibody, pertuzumab-vc-MMAE can also be effectively internalized and potently kill HER2 over-expressing tumor cells. In the Karpas 299 ALCL model, cAC10-vcMMAE induces complete, durable tumor regression, while free MMAE doesn’t produce detectable antitumor activity. In mouse xenograft models of NHL, anti–CD79b-vcMMAE strikingly results in sustained complete tumor remission.

(S)-crizotinib was discovered as an attractive chemical entity for further pre-clinical evaluation, and small-molecule inhibitors of MTH1 as a promising novel class of anticancer agents.

AZD-5438 is an anti-cancer medicine which was developed by AstraZeneca. The drug is under development for the treatment of solid tumors in phase I of clinical trials. AZD-5438 exerts its anti-proliferative action both in vitro and in vivo by inhibiting cyclin-dependent kinases 1, 2 and 6 which are involved in the cell cycle.

CB30865 (ZM242421) is a potent inhibitor of Nampt, an enzyme present in the NAD biosynthetic pathway. CB30865 is highly potent against a variety of human tumour cell lines.

Isorhamnetin, a flavonol aglycone, isolated from the traditional Chinese medicine H. rhamnoides L., was frequently used in traditional medicine to prevent and treat diverse diseases. Isorhamnetin has been shown to play a variety of roles in anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, anti-tumor, anti-viral, and neurodegenerative injury protection. Isorhamnetin could inhibit the H2O2-induced activation of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway by scavenging free ROS and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) inactivation. In the type 2 diabetic rat model, isorhamnetin was found to be able to inhibit the NF-κB signaling activity, attenuate oxidative stress, and decrease the production of inflammatory mediators. Isorhamnetin can suppress skin cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer and atherosclerosis by inhibiting PI3K/AKT activation. Isorhamnetin shows inhibitory activity toward CYP1B1 expression and function.

CEP-33779 is a selective JAK2 inhibitor (IC50 of 1.8 nM) developed by Cephalon, Inc for treating autoimmune disease (rheumatoid arthritis, lupus nephritis) and cancer. CEP-33779 orally administrated with 55 mg/kg inhibits phosphorylation of STAT5 in HEL92 tumor extracts from HEL92 xenograft mice. CEP33779 orally administered twice daily at the dose of 55 mg/kg reduces mean paw edema and clinical scores in mice with collagen-antibody-induced arthritis (CAIA) or collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). CEP-33779 orally administered twice daily at the dose of 55 mg/kg totally inhibits paw phospho-STAT3 expression in CAIA or CIA mice, associated with decreased cytokines including IL-12, IFNγ, IL-2, IL-1β, TNFα, and GM-CSF. CEP33779 results in reduced bone degradation, reduced tissue destruction, and reduced osteoarthritis in a dose-dependent manner in CAIA or CIA mice. CEP33779 orally administrated at 100 mg/kg extends survival and reduces splenomegaly/lymphomegaly in MRL/lpr systemic lupus erythematosus mice, thus protect mice from developing glomerulonephritis. CEP-33779 orally administrated at 100 mg/kg decreases several SLE-associated proinflammatory cytokines and reduces levels of a bone resorption biomarker associated with increased osteoclast activity in MRL/lpr systemic lupus erythematosus mice. CEP33779 orally administered twice daily at the dose of 55 mg/kg induces regression of established colorectal tumors, reduces angiogenesis, and reduces proliferation of tumor cells in a mouse model of colitis-induced colorectal cancer. Tumor regression correlated with inhibition of STAT3 and NF-κB (RelA/p65) activation, and decreased the expression of proinflammatory, tumor-promoting cytokines interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β

Chrysophanic acid (Chrysophanol) is a member of the anthraquinone family abundant in rhubarb, a widely used herb for obesity treatment in Traditional Korean Medicine. Chrysophanol has been shown to induce cell death in different types of cancer cells. Chrysophanol inhibits EGF-induced phosphorylation of EGFR and suppresses activation of AKT and mTOR/p70S6K. Chrysophanol also effectively suppresses breast cancer cell proliferation and facilitates chemosentivity through modulation of the NF-κB signaling pathway. A treatment of chrysophanol could reduce significantly the clinical signs and the levels of inflammatory mediators in a colitis model caused by DSS treatment. The anti-inflammatory activities of chrysophanol could be attributed, at least in part, to the inhibition of proinflammatory cytokine production (TNF-α and IL-6), COX-2, and iNOS protein expression. These effects of chrysophanol are caused by the inhibition of LPS-induced NF-κB activation, IκB-α degradation, and caspase-1 activation. These results provide experimental evidence showing that chrysophanol might prove useful in the treatment of inflammatory diseases.