Alfatradiol (17a-estradiol, Ell-Cranell® alpha) is a stereoisomer of the female hormone 17b-estradiol. It inhibits the conversion of testosterone to the metabolite dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by suppressing 5a-reductase activity. In addition, by inhibiting 17b-dehydrogenase, it impedes the conversion process of androstenedione to testosterone, resulting in a reduction in the syntheses of testosterone and DHT. It also accelerates the conversion of testosterone to estradiol by stimulating aromatase, decreasing the level of testosterone and leading to a reduction in DHT. In addition, alfatradiol (17a-estradiol) has been reported to stimulate the generation of hair follicular matrix cells.

Evocalcet (MT-4580, KHK7580) is an allosteric calcium-sensing receptor agonist. Evocalcet directly acts on calcium receptors on parathyroid cells to suppress synthesis and secretion of parathyroid hormone (PTH), and it consequently decreases serum PTH and serum calcium. ORKEDIA® TABLETS (generic name: evocalcet, code name: KHK7580) has been listed on the National Health Insurance (NHI) Drug Price List and launched for the treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism in patients on maintenance dialysis in Japan.

8-Hydroxyquinoline is is a heterocyclic phenol, exhibiting antiseptic, disinfectant and pesticide properties. It is used to prevent and treat vaginal bacterial infections, but the efficacy was not proven in clinical trial. 8-Hydroxyquinoline is used in over-the-counter remedies for diaper rash and oral health care. Its use for veterinary treatment of bacterial an skin infections is not approved by FDA. 8-Hydroxyquinoline acts by inhibition of RNA synthesis and DNA replication by chelating the dissociable cations Mn2 and Mg2 .

Higenamine HCl (norcoclaurine) is a plant-based alkaloid widely used as nutritional supplement in food and beverage industries. It exists in variety of plants including Tinospora crispa, Nandina domestica, Gnetum Parvifolium C.Y. Cheng, sarum Heterotropoides, Nelumbo nucifera. It was initially isolated from Aconitum and identified as the active cardiotonic component of this medicinal plant used as local and traditional medicines in many Asian regions for the treatment of various diseases such as collapse, syncope, painful joints, oedema, bronchial asthma etc. Various pharmacological properties and potentially multi-spectral medical applications of higenamine have been reviled in many in vitro and in vivo studies conducted in animals and humans. Pharmacological properties of higenamine include positive inotropic and chronotropic effect, activating slow channel effect, vascular and tracheal relaxation effect, anti-thrombotic, anti-apoptotic and anti-oxidative effect, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effect. Studies on higenamine showed potential therapeutic effects for diseases like heart failure, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), shock, arthritis, asthma, ischemia/reperfusion injuries and erectile dysfunction. Higenamine has been tested as a candidate of pharmacologic stress agent in the detection of coronary artery diseases (CADs) in human clinical studies in China. In animal models, higenamine has been demonstrated to be a β2 adrenoreceptor agonist. It partly exerts its actions by the activation of adenylate cyclase, responsible for boosting the cellular concentrations of the adrenergic second messenger, cAMP. Via a beta-adrenoceptor mechanism higenamine, induced relaxation in rat corpus cavernosum, leading to improved vasodilation and erectile function. Related to improved vasodilatory signals, higenamine has been shown to possess antiplatelet and antithrombotic activity via a cAMP-dependent pathway, suggesting it may contribute to enhanced vasodilation and arterial integrity. Anti-apoptotic and cardiac protective effects of higenamine were shown to be mediated by the β2-AR/PI3K/AKT cascade. Higenamine is marketed as a dietary supplement for weight loss and sport performance, and is added to many fat burning supplements. Along with many other β2 agonists, higenamine is prohibited by World Anti-Doping Agency for use in sports.

Bicyclol, also known as SY 801, is a hepatoprotective agent. Bicyclol upregulates transcription factor Nrf2, HO-1 expression and protects rat brains against focal ischemia. Bicyclol induces cell cycle arrest and autophagy in HepG2 human hepatocellular carcinoma cells through the PI3K/AKT and Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK pathways. Bicyclol attenuates tetracycline-induced fatty liver associated with inhibition of hepatic ER stress and apoptosis in mice. Bicyclol promotes toll-like 2 receptor recruiting inosine 5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase II to exert its anti-inflammatory effect. Phase Ⅰ~Ⅳ clinical trials and extensive application after market launch prove that, Bicyclol is suitable for the treatment of chronic viral and non-viral liver disease with elevated serum aminotransferase abnormalities, and is excellent in safety. This drug is recommended for liver protection and anti-inflammatory medication by Chinese Medical Association in Guidelines for Management of Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Guidelines for Management of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, The Guideline of Prevention and Treatment for Chronic Hepatitis B, Expert Consensus On Hepatic Inflammation and Its Prevention and other professional guidelines and consensus.

Eupatilin (5,7-dihydroxy-3',4',6-trimethoxyflavone) is the major lipophilic flavonoid from Artemísia umbellifórmis, mountain wormwood used for the production of the celebrated alpine liqueur genepy. Eupatilin is the active ingredient of Stillen, a herbal drug from the Asian wormwood Artemisia asiatica, developed in South Korea for the treatment of gastritis and peptic ulcer. Eupatilin has been shown to exert cytoprotective and antiapoptotic effects on gastric and esophageal epithelial primary cells and is endowed with antispasmodic and antimutagenic properties, while apoptotic and anti-proliferative activities have been demonstrated on cancer cells. Eupatilin has also been evaluated, with promising results, in several assays of relevance for inflammation and allergy. Thus, this flavonoid inhibits in vitro mast cell degranulation and histamine release, shows in vivo anti-allergic properties is an antioxidant, inhibits 5-lipoxygenase and the leukotrienes synthesis, decreases prostaglandin E2 production, and inhibits the activation of nuclear transcription factor NF-κB and the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and different pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukins (IL-4, IL-6, and IL-8) and tumor necrosis factor-R (TNF-R)

Luseogliflozin (TS-071), a derivative of a novel scaffold, C-phenyl 1-thio-D-glucitol, exhibited potent sodium-dependent glucose cotransporter (SGLT) 2 inhibition activity. Luseogliflozin exhibits a blood glucose lowering effect, excellent urinary glucose excretion properties, and promising pharmacokinetics profiles in animals. It showed good metabolic stability toward cryo-preserved human hepatic clearance, have acceptable human pharmacokinetics properties. Luseogliflozin [Lusefi(®) (Japan)] was developed by Taisho Pharmaceutical for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The drug has received its first global approval for this indication in Japan, either as monotherapy or in combination with other antihyperglycaemic agents.

Silymarin, a plant-derived flavonoid from the plant Silybum marianum, is considered the most potential drug to treat almost all kind of liver diseases, particularly alcoholic liver disease, acute and chronic viral hepatitis and toxins-mediated liver dysfunctions. The main component of the silymarin complex is silybin, synonymous with silibinin, sometimes incorrectly called silybinin, which is a mixture of two diastereomers A and B in approximately 1:1 proportion. The drug possess hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity. The hepatoprotective effect is due to stimulation of synthesis of structural and functional proteins and phospholipids, as well as acceleration of the regeneration of hepatocytes. Antioxidant effect is determined by interaction of bioflavones with free radicals in the liver and its detoxication. In such manner the process of peroxidation of the lipids is interrupted and further liver destruction is prevented. Side effect is a mild laxative effect has occasionally been observed.

Acotiamide (Acofide(®)), an oral first-in-class prokinetic drug, is under global development by Zeria Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd and Astellas Pharma Inc. for the treatment of patients with functional dyspepsia. The drug modulates upper gastrointestinal motility to alleviate abdominal symptoms resulting from hypomotility and delayed gastric emptying. It exerts its activity in the stomach via muscarinic receptor inhibition, resulting in enhanced acetylcholine release and inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity. Acofide® is launched in Japan for treating functional dyspepsia.

Ornidazole is nitroimidazole derivative. It is an antiprotozoal drug that has proven to be effective against Trichomonas vaginalis, Entoamoeba histolytica, Giardia lamblia and Helicobacter pylori. The reduction of the nitro group and the generation of short-lived reactive intermediates are the basis of its parasiticidal activity. Ornidazole is a DNA-tropic drug with selective activity against microorganisms with enzyme systems capable of reducing the nitrogroup and catalyze the interaction between ferrodoxin proteins and nitrocompounds. After the drug penetrates the microbial cell, the mechanism of its action is based reducing the nitrogroup under the influence of the microorganism’s nitroreductases and the activity of the reduced nitroimidazole. The reduction products create compounds with DNA causing it to degrade, and disrupt the DNA replication and transcription processes. Furthermore, the drug’s metabolism products have cytotoxic properties and disrupt cellular respiration processes. It is indicated for the treatment of anaerobic systemic infections caused by ornidazole-sensitive microflora, prevention of infections caused by anaerobic bacteria, during operative treatment (especially middle and straight intestine surgeries), gynecological surgeries, severe intestinal ameobiasis, all extra-intestinal ameobiasis forms, giardiasis. Ornidazole was shown to be effective for the prevention of recurrence of Crohn's disease after ileocolonic resection.