Dexamethasone 9, 11-epoxide is an impurity in the commercial preparation of dexamethasone. Dexamethasone is an anti-inflammatory compound approved by the FDA for several conditions, including arthritis, skin diseases, croup, brain swelling, and others.

Sphingosine harbors two chiral centers and therefore exhibits four stereoisomers, only one of which, the D-erythro (2S,3R) is known to exist naturally. ERYTHRO-SPHINGOSINE, (±)- is a mixture of two isomers: inactive ERYTHRO-SPHINGOSINE, (+)- and the active ERYTHRO-SPHINGOSINE, (-), also known as D-erythro (2S,3R)-SPHINGOSINE or D-erythro –SPHINGOSINE. It was found, that D-erythro –SPHINGOSINE acts as a potent inhibitor of protein kinase C and of transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7). Besides, was shown, that sphingosine may be efficacious against alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, irrespective of TP53 mutation status. It also could evolve as alternative treatment options for aggressive lymphomas via PKC inhibition, apoptosis, and autophagy.