Ellagic acid is a dilactone of hexahydroxydiphenic acid, that found in numerous fruits and vegetables. Ellagic acid was first discovered by chemist Henri Braconnot in 1831. Ellagic acid is found in oaks species like the North American white oak (Quercus alba) and European red oak (Quercus robur). The highest levels of ellagic acid are found in walnuts, pecans, cranberries, raspberries, strawberries, and grapes, as well as distilled beverages. It is also found in peach, and other plant foods. Ellagic acid has antiproliferative and antioxidant properties in a number of in vitro and small-animal models. The antiproliferative properties of ellagic acid may be due to its ability to directly inhibit the DNA binding of certain carcinogens, including nitrosamines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. As with other polyphenol antioxidants, ellagic acid has a chemoprotective effect in cellular models by reducing oxidative stress. Ellagic acid is an investigational drug studied for treatment of Follicular Lymphoma (phase 2 trial), protection from brain injury of intrauterine growth restricted babies (phase 1 and 2 trial), improvement of cardiovascular function in adolescents who are obese (phase 2 trial), and topical treatment of solar lentigines. Ellagic acid has been marketed as a dietary supplement with a range of claimed benefits against cancer, heart disease, and other medical problems. Ellagic acid has been identified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a "fake cancer 'cure' consumers should avoid".

Phenoxyacetic acid is found in cocoa and cocoa products. Phenoxyacetic acid is a flavouring ingredient. Phenoxyacetic acid is on the FDA list of approved food additives (PART 172 - FOOD ADDITIVES PERMITTED FOR DIRECT ADDITION TO FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION; Subpart F--Flavoring Agents and Related Substances Sec. 172.515 Synthetic flavoring substances and adjuvants.). Research has shown that Phenoxyacetic acid induced hematopoietic cell proliferation, providing potential for oral therapeutics which stimulate proliferation of hematopoietic cells of multiple lineages, as well as inducing fetal globin, important for therapy of hemoglobinopathies.

D-(-)-tartaric acid is isomer of tartaric acid, that industrially produced in the largest amounts. D-(-)-Tartaric acid may be used in the preparation of enantiospecific homochiral cis-4-formyl β-lactams. It may also be used as a starting material in the synthesis of D-erythro-sphingosine and L-lyxo-phytosphingosine. D-(-)-tartaric acid is widely used as an acidizing agent for beverages and other foods, and this use is similar to citric acid. Tartaric acid can be used as an acid dye mordant when it is combined with tannin. It is also used for some development and fixing operations in the photographic industry. D-(-)-Tartaric Acid is used in the preparation of synthetic analgesics. Tartaric acid is metabolically inert in the human body. When taken by mouth, only about 20% of ingested tartrate is eliminated in the urine; the remainder is not absorbed as such since it is destroyed in the intestinal tract by bacterial action. Sodium tartrate in daily doses of up to 10 or even 20 g has been used in medical practice as a laxative.

Oxaloacetate (OAA), a salt of oxaloacetic acid, is a metabolic intermediate in many processes, e.g., urea cycle, gluconeogenesis, etc. that occur in animals. Experiments on animal have revealed that OAA was able to protect hepatocytes from hypoxia and liver ischemia/reperfusion injury. OAA also possesses a neuroprotective effect against ischemic injury, which strengthens the likelihood of its future applicability as a novel neuroprotective agent for the treatment of ischemic stroke patients. In addition, experiments on adipose stromal cells have shown that OAA directly protected cerebellar granule neurons from apoptosis induced by serum and potassium deprivation.