Sodium taurodeoxycholate is a bile salt-related, anionic detergent used for isolation of membrane proteins including inner mitochondrial membrane proteins. It is formed by the conjugation of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) with taurine. Sodium taurodeoxycholate and ursodeoxycholic acid are major constituents of black bear bile, which has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Bear bile was historically employed to treat a number of diseases including jaundice, summer diarrhea, abdominal pain due to hepatobiliary diseases and gastric malfunction, biliary ascariasis, infectious skin diseases, the common cold, intestinal worms, and inflammation of the throat. Sodium taurodeoxycholate has been shown to inhibit apoptosis by modulating mitochondrial membrane perturbation and pore formation, B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2)-associated protein X (BAX) translocation, cytochrome c release, and caspase activation. Sodium taurodeoxycholate inhibits amyloid beta (Ab)-induced apoptosis and attenuates the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, which are thought to be key components of the pathological process in certain diseases. In clinical studies, Sodium taurodeoxycholate is shown to be very safe with oral administration of 1500 mg/day for up to 6 months. In a more recent clinical study, a dose of 1750 mg/day for up to 4 weeks was well tolerated in healthy obese persons. One of the major adverse effects of Sodium taurodeoxycholate is diarrhea. Based on the related information from ursodeoxycholic acid, other gastrointestinal side effects are possible including abdominal pain, flatulence, nausea, dyspepsia, and anorexia.

Trimedoxime is the only one of the major bispyridinium oxime with a propylene linked between the two pyridinium rings. Trimedoxime is an oxime cholinesterase (AChE) reactivator. It was shown that trimedoxime is a more potent reactivator of the DFP-inhibited AChE than pralidoxime and a better reactivator than obidoxime in the case of the tabun-inhibited enzyme. It can be used parenterally as an antidote adjunct to atropine in treating human or animal (organophosphate group) anticholinesterase pesticide toxicity. Trimedoxime was the first oxime that was efficient in the treatment of animals intoxicated with tabun. It could also protect animals poisoned with sarin or VX, but not the ones intoxicated with soman.

RRX-001, also known as ABDNAZ, is a dinitroazetidine derivative with potential radiosensitizing activity. Upon administration, RRx-001 is able to dilate blood vessels, thereby increasing tumor blood flow and thus improving oxygenation to the tumor site. By increasing oxygen levels, these tumor cells may be more susceptible to radiation therapy. Tumor hypoxia is correlated with tumor aggressiveness, metastasis and resistance to radiotherapy. In mouse models, RRx-001 administered intravenously as a single agent was equipotent to cisplatin while better tolerated. RRx-001 also showed activity as a radiosensitizer in both in vitro and in vivo models. The activity of RRx-001 is thought to be associated with a nucleophilic substitution by circulating thiol compounds and covalent binding of RRx-001 to cysteinyl residues in Hb, followed by the generation of nitrogen oxides. During 2014-2015 EpicentRx has launched Phase 2 trials in brain, colorectal, non-small cell lung, small cell lung and cholangiocarcinoma both alone and in combination. The anti-proliferative effects of RRx-001 are not explainable via a single mechanism. RRx-001 exerts its anti-proliferative effect, at least partially, through interference with glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), a key enzyme in the pentose phosphate pathway, responsible for maintaining adequate levels of the major cellular reductant, NADPH.

Tetrahydropalmatine is a tetrahydroprotoberberine isoquinoline alkaloid that is a primary active constituent of herbal preparations containing plant species of the genera Stephania and Corydalis. The levo isomer of THP (L-THP) appears to contribute to many of the therapeutic effects of these preparations. The pharmacological profile of L-THP, which includes antagonism of dopamine D1 and D2 receptors and actions at dopamine D3, suggests that it may have utility for treating addiction. Clinical trials where L-THP was used for the treatment of cocaine and heroin addiction have promising results. The clinical trial is planned for the treatment of schizophrenia. L-Tetrahydropalmatine is recorded in the Chinese pharmacopoeia.

Cinobufotalin, the bufadienolide isolated from toad venom, has displayed antitumor activities in many in vitro systems. It has been shown that cinobufotalin induced significant apoptosis in cultured human lymphoma U-937 cells. It induced DNA fragmentation, mitochondrial membrane potential decrease, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in U-937 cells. Cinobufotalin induces cytotoxic effect in cultured lung cancer cells. Cinobufotalin (1/5 mg/kg, i.p. twice daily, for 7 days) significantly inhibited A549 xenograft growth in mice. Further, same cinobufotalin administration improved mice survival at week five. Cinobufotalin administration didn’t significantly affect mice body weight, indicating the relative safety of this regimen. Thus, cinobufotalin inhibits A549 xenograft growth in vivo and improves mice survival.

D-Fagomine (1,2-dideoxynojirimycin) is a six-membered ring iminocyclitol that was first isolated from seeds of buckwheat (Fagopyrum sculentum Moench, Polygonaceae) and is also present in other plant sources such as mulberry (Morus Alba, Moraceae) leaves and gogi (Lycium chinense) roots. D-fagomine is present in common buckwheat-based foodstuffs in amounts ranging from 1 to 25 mg/kg or mg/L, it is stable during boiling, baking, frying and fermentation, and it is biosynthesised upon sprouting. The estimated total intake of D-fagomine resulting from a diet that includes such foodstuffs would be between 3 and 17 mg per day (mean for both genders; range from P5 to P95). In animal studies D-Fagomine lowers postprandial blood glucose. D-fagomine agglutinated Enterobacteriaceae (Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium), while it did not show this effect on Bifidobacterium spp. or Lactobacillus spp. D-fagomine significantly inhibited the adhesion of Enterobacteriaceae and promoted the adhesion of Lactobacillus acidophilus to intestinal mucosa. D-Fagomine did not show any effect on bacterial cell viability. D-fagomine may be used as a dietary ingredient or functional food component to reduce the health risks associated with an excessive intake of fast-digestible carbohydrates, or an excess of potentially pathogenic bacteria.

LY2608204 is a activator of glucokinase (GK) with EC50 of 42 nM. Eli Lilly is developing LY 2608204 as an orally administered, once-daily therapy for type 2 diabetes. LY-2608204 is in phase I clinical trials for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Cobalt protoporphyrin (CoPP) is a potent HO-1 inducer and generally known to be an antioxidant in various cell types. CoPP has been shown to downregulate various cytochrome P450 isoforms, and various mechanisms of action have been attributed to its ability to induced HO- 1. It has also been used to promote endogenous carbon dioxide (CO) generation and protect against myocardial infarction in vivo. CoPP also participated in regulating the inflammatory response in CNS which mainly suppressed inflammatory component. It has been demonstrated that CoPP reduced LPS/Interleukin 13 (IL-13)-induced microglial death.

Licochalcone A (LicA) is a flavonoid isolated from the famous Chinese medicinal herb Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch and has a wide spectrum of pharmacological activities such as anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-cancer. However, its pharmacological mechanism is not well defined. The anti-Inflammatory effects of LicA on IL-1β-Stimulated human osteoarthritis chondrocytes was reached by activating Nrf2 signaling pathway. LicA showed anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects in breast cancer cells through regulating Sp1 and apoptosis-related proteins in a dose- and a time-dependent manner. In addition, the chemotherapeutic potential of LicA for treatment of human cervical cancer was achieved by inhibition of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling.