Cinnamic acid is a polyphenol found in cinnamon oil and used in commercial flavorings. Recent studies have shown the pharmacological properties of cinnamic acid and its derivatives, including hepatoprotective, anti-oxidant, and anti-diabetic activities. In preclinical studies cinnamic acid demonstrated to be a promising candidate for the treatment ob obesity and diabetes. The mechanism of action of cinnamic acid in obesity is explained by its ability to inhibit lipases and ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme). However, there are several hypotesis regarding the effect of cinnamic acid in diabetes: cinnamic acid enhances glucose-induced insulin secretion, prevents palmitic acid-induced lipotoxicity, inhibits palmitic acid-induced alteration of lipogenic gene and protein expression (AMPK, SREBP-1c, FAS, ACC), inhibits DPP IV, exhibits an additive effect on the uptake of glucose, stimulates adiponectin secretion, etc.

Palmitoleic acid, commonly known as omega-7, is a rare monounsatured fatty acid, which was generally reported to benefit the skin in promoting epithelialisation, and certain gynaecological problems (vaginal mycoses). Until now, sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides), a shrub widely found in Europe and Asia, and macadamia nuts have been the principal sources. Palmitoleic acid (PMA) has anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic activities. Palmitoleic acid is a gap junction uncoupler.

Arachidic acid, also known as eicosanoic, is a component of wild soybean. It is a saturated fatty acid, which is used for the production of detergents and lubricants, and was discovered to modulate expression of cyclooxygenase-2, an enzyme pivotal to skin inflammation and reparation.

11(E)-Eicosenoic acid is a very long-chain ω-9 fatty acid that is a trans monounsaturated isomer of arachidic acid. 11(E)-Eicosenoic acid is one of several monounsaturated 20-carbon fatty acids, and is used to study phospholipid membranes. The combined C20:1 isomers constitute 70% of the total fatty acid pool in jojoba seed oil isolated from plants in the Arizona desert. 11(E)-Eicosenoic acid has been shown to inhibit glycerophosphate acyltransferase, cholinephosphotransferase and ethanolaminephosphotransferase in V79-R cells. 11(E)-Eicosenoic acid lacks the cis-double bond and has virtually no effect on telomerase activity (unlike cis-Unsaturated C20 fatty acids, which demonstrate strong telomerase inhibition and have been studied as a promising cancer therapeutic target).

Resveratrol, a natural non-flavonoid polyphenol, exhibits a wide range of beneficial properties as an anticancer agent, a platelet anti-aggregation agent, and an antioxidant, as well as its anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, antiallergenic. This compound is in phase III clinical trials in combination with carboxymethyl-β-glucan for improving nasal symptoms in children with pollen-induced allergic rhinitis. Also in phase III clinical trial in the treatment of painful knee osteoarthritis and in type 2 diabetic patients. It has been demonstrated that resveratrol may prevent type 2 diabetic by targeting Sirtuin type 1 (SIRT1), indicating that SIRT1 may be a novel therapeutic target for diabetes prevention.

Lauric acid, or dodecanoic acid, is the main acid in coconut oil and in palm kernel oil, and is believed to have antimicrobial properties. The detected values of half maximal effective concentration (EC(50)) of lauric acid on P. acnes, S. aureus, and S. epidermidis growth indicate that P. acnes is the most sensitive to lauric acid among these bacteria. In addition, lauric acid did not induce cytotoxicity to human sebocytes. This data highlight the potential of using lauric acid as an alternative treatment for antibiotic therapy of acne vulgaris. Lauric acid is used in the manufacture of soaps, detergents, cosmetics, and lauryl alcohol.