4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone or nicotine-derived nitrosamine ketone (NNK) is a tobacco-specific nitrosamine. NNK is considered to be a carcinogen. NNK induces deleterious mutations in oncogenes and tumor suppression genes by forming DNA adducts, which could be considered as tumor initiation. Meanwhile, the binding of NNK to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor promotes tumor growth by enhancing and deregulating cell proliferation, survival, migration, and invasion, thereby creating a microenvironment for tumor growth.

Isohexestro is a synthetic, non-steroidal estrogen of the stilbestrol group related to diethylstilbestrol, that shown to be inhibitors of microtubule assembly in vitro.

Coumestrol is one of the major phytoestrogens, which is abundant in soybeans, legumes, and spinach. It competitively binds the estrogen receptors ERα and ERβ. Besides coumestrol is an endogenous antagonist of the human pregnane X receptor. It is known, that antagonizing the action of the human nuclear xenobiotic receptor pregnane X receptor (PXR) may have important clinical implications in preventing drug-drug interactions and improving therapeutic efficacy. Coumestrol epigenetically suppresses cancer cell proliferation, due to its inhibition of natural haspin kinase. Coumestrol exhibits broad anti-cancer effects against skin melanoma, lung cancer, breast cancer and some others cancer cell growth. Besides, was also shown the beneficial effects of coumestrol in various biological processes including, neuroprotective effects on the nervous system, and the function of the female reproductive system. However, the experiments for male rodents have strongly suggested a deleterious effect of oral, low concentration phytoestrogen content in adult male diets.

Benzanthrone (BA) is an important dye used in the manufacturing of several polycyclic vats and disperse dyes in textile industries. In several clinical studies, it has been shown that workers exposed to BA developed itching, burning sensation, erythema and hyperpigmentation of the skin, which could be an outcome of the dysregulated immune response. Chronically exposed workers complained loss of appetite, intolerance to fatty food, fatigue, weight loss, weakness and decrease in sexual activity. Recently was discovered, that benzanthrone binds to a critical component in the regulation of the BA-induced inflammation, Toll-like receptor 4, TLR4.

1,5-Naphthalenediamine is an organic amine which is used as an intermediate for the manufacture of 1,5-naphthalene diisocyanate and organic dyes. According to IARC monograph on the evaluation of the carcinogenic risk, there is a limited evidence for the carcinogenicity of 1,5-naphthalenediamine in experimental animals. 1,5-Naphthalenediamine is used for matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-mass spectrometry of phospholipids.

POPC is a 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine. It is an important phospholipid for biophysical experiments and has been used to study various subjects such as lipid rafts. POPC also used in systems mimicking the cell membrane. It was shown that endogenous lipid synthesis generates a discrete phosphatidylcholine species, 1-palmitoyl 2-oleyl phosphatidylcholine (16:0/18:1 PC), that serves as an endogenous ligand for PPARalpha. Myelin is a membrane characterized by high lipid content to facilitate impulse propagation. Changes in myelin fatty acid (FA) composition have been associated with peripheral neuropathy. It was also found that mice lacking sterol regulatory element-binding factor-1c (Srebf1c) have blunted peripheral nerve FA synthesis that results in development of peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral nerves lacking Srebf1c show decreased FA synthesis and glycolytic flux, but increased FA catabolism and mitochondrial function. These metabolic alterations are the result of local accumulation of two endogenous peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PARalpha) ligands, 1-palmitoyl-2-oleyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphatidylcholine and 1-stearoyl-2-oleyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphatidylcholine. Treatment with a PPARalpha antagonist rescues the neuropathy.