Senkyunolide A is one of the major ingredients in a traditional Chinese medicinal (TCM) herb Rhizoma Chuanxiong. This herb is derived from the dried rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort (Umbelliferae) and is one of the most commonly used TCM herbs for the treatment of cardio and cerebrovascular diseases in China. Senkyunolide A has a low oral bioavailability. It has anti-cancer potential. Senkyunolide A may be considered as potential drug candidate for treating inflammatory processes associated with cerebrovascular diseases and related disorders based on their inhibitory activity on TNF-alpha production and TNF-alpha bioactivity.

Levistolide A is a naturally occurring compound isolated from Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort, which is used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat cancer. Levistolide has been studied in vitro against cell models for colon cancer and breast cancer. It was effective at inducing ER programmed apoptosis in colon cancer cells. In a cell model for breast cancer, levistolide was shown to enhance the apoptotic effects of adriamycin and vincristine. The effect of levistomide is correlated with cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase PARP and up-regulation of caspase-3.