Cetrimide is a quaternary ammonium compound. Cetrimide was first introduced as a combined cleanser and skin antiseptic by Barnes (1942). Cetrimide combines excellent detergent properties and minimal toxicity with a useful antiseptic action. Cetrimide affects membrane permeability allowing ‘leaking’ of essential cell constituents leading to cell death. This medication is a skin antiseptic and disinfectant prescribed for seborrhoeic dermatitis and wound cleansing. The cream has a bactericidal activity against gram-positive bacteria and incompatible with soaps and other anionic surfactants.

p-Chlorocresol (p-chloro-m-cresol; PCMC; brand name: Preventol CMK) possesses disinfectant and antiseptic properties. Chlorocresol is used in various preparations for skin disinfection and wounds. It also used as a preservative in creams and other preparations for external use which contain water. For use as a disinfectant such as a hand wash, it is commonly dissolved in alcohol in combination with other phenols. It is a moderate allergen for sensitive skin. Chlorocresol produces potentially life-threatening effects which include dermatitis, which are responsible for the discontinuation of chlorocresol therapy. The symptomatic adverse reactions produced by chlorocresol are more or less tolerable and if they become severe, they can be treated symptomatically, these include hypersensitivity reactions, irritation of eyes.

Cloprostenol is a synthetic prostaglandin analogue structurally related to Prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α), for use in cattle and horses. As a potent luteolytic agent it causes functional and morphological regression of the corpus luteum (luteolysis) in cattle and horses followed by return to oestrus and normal ovulation.

Rhein, also known as cassic acid, is a substance in the anthraquinone group obtained from rhubarb species like Rheum undulatum and Rheum palmatum as well as in Cassia reticulata. Rhein, a metabolite of Diacerein and sennosides, alleviates pain and fever, inhibits inflammation, and has weak laxative. Rhein dose-dependently inhibits superoxide anion production, chemotaxis and phagocytic activity of neutrophils, and macrophage migration and phagocytosis. In addition, rhein exerts its anticancer effects via the modulation of processes of cellular proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. The pharmacokinetics of rhein have not been intensively studied in humans, but at least one study in healthy male volunteers found that rhein was better absorbed from oral administration of rhubarb than from a retention enema. Rhein (at an oral dose of 50 mg twice per day) was shown to be safe when administered for five days to elderly patients with chronic congestive heart failure.

Etilefrine is a cardiac stimulant used as an antihypotensive. Intravenous infusion of this compound increases cardiac output, stroke volume, venous return and blood pressure in man and experimental animals, suggesting stimulation of both α and β adrenergic receptors. However, in vitro studies indicate that etilefrine has a much higher affinity for β1 (cardiac) than for β2 adrenoreceptors. Intravenous etilefrine increases the pulse rate, cardiac output, stroke volume, central venous pressure and mean arterial pressure of healthy individuals. Marked falls in pulse rate, cardiac output, stroke volume and peripheral bloodflow, accompanied by rises in mean arterial pressure, occur when etilefrine is infused after administration of intravenous propranolol 2,5 mg. These findings indicate that etilefrine has both β1 and α1 adrenergic effects in man. The French Health Products Agency concluded that etilefrine and heptaminol have an unfavourable harm-benefit balance, and also placed restrictions on the use of midodrine.

Gepefrine (Pressionorm and Wintonin) is an antihypotensive agent. It was used for therapy of orthostatic dysregulation. One hour after oral administration of 30 mg or 45 mg gepefrine the blood pressure increased significantly at rest and more markedly on standing and during the step test. Gepefrine led to a reduction in pathological orthostatic regulation during the early phase as well as to the prevention of subjective and objective signs of orthostatic adjustment disorder during the late phase. Patients with insufficient rise in blood pressure during the step test (80 watts) showed after gepefrine a distinct tendency towards normalisation and the regression of subjective states of exhaustion. Gepefrine caused on average no substantive alternations in heart rate during all phases of the investigation. Complications or side-effects due to the method or the medicament were not observed.

Amicarbalide (Diampron) is an aromatic diamidine exerting piroplasmocidal properties. It is effective against bovine and equine babesiosis and anaplasmosis.

Sucrosofate (sucrose octasulfate) is a class of organic compounds known as disaccharide sulfates carrying one or more sulfate group on a sugar unit. It is used to encapsulate some anticancer drugs in liposomes allowing for highly active formulations against solid tumors and immunotargeting to cancer-overexpressing cell surface receptors. ONIVYDE (liposomal irinotecan) for intravenous use encapsulates an aqueous space containing irinotecan in a gelated or precipitated state as the sucrose octasulfate salt was initially approved by FDA in 1996 for treatment of pancreatic cancer. Sucrose octasulfate (SOS), a chemical analogue of heparin, has been demonstrated to activate fibroblast growth factors signalling pathways and SOS-mediated dimerization of FGF1 was observed. SOS can suppress thrombin generation in plasma that suggests a potential for oversulfated disaccharides in controlling heparin cofactor II -regulated thrombin generation.

Dexfenfluramine, also marketed under the name Redux, is a serotoninergic anorectic drug. Dexfenfluramine, the dextrorotatory isomer of fenfluramine, is indicated for use in the management of obesity in patients with a body mass index of > or = 30 kg/m2, or > or = 27 kg/m2 in the presence of other risk factors. Unlike fenfluramine, dexfenfluramine is a pure serotonin agonist. Dexfenfluramine increases serotonergic activity by stimulating serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) release into brain synapses, inhibiting its reuptake into presynaptic neurons and by directly stimulating postsynaptic serotonin receptors. Dexfenfluramine reduces blood pressure, percent glycosylated hemoglobin, and concentrations of blood glucose and blood lipids, but these benefits may be indirect. Dexfenfluramine may also be of some value in controlling eating habits in diabetic patients, preventing weight gain after smoking cessation, and treating bulimia, seasonal affective disorder, neuroleptic-induced obesity, and premenstrual syndrome. Dexfenfluramine's most frequent adverse effects are insomnia, diarrhea, and headache; it has also been associated with primary pulmonary hypertension. The drug should not be combined with other serotonergic agonists because of the risk of serotonin syndrome. The recommended dosage is 15 mg twice daily. Dexfenfluramine is effective in the treatment of obesity in selected patients. Because its efficacy is lost after six months of continuous treatment, it should be viewed primarily as an adjunct to diet and exercise. Dexfenfluramine was approved by the FDA in 1996 and has been widely used for the treatment of obesity. However, Dexfenfluramine was removed from the U.S. market in 1997 following reports of valvular heart disease and pulmonary hypertension.

Aminoacridine derivative that is a potent intercalating antineoplastic agent. It is effective in the treatment of acute leukemias and malignant lymphomas, but has poor activity in the treatment of solid tumors. It is frequently used in combination with other antineoplastic agents in chemotherapy protocols. It produces consistent but acceptable myelosuppression and cardiotoxic effects. Although its mechanism of action is incompletely defined, amsacrine inhibits DNA synthesis by binding to and intercalating with DNA. Amsacrine also inhibits topoisomerase II activity and may exert an effect on cell membranes. This agent also possesses immunosuppressive and antiviral properties. While amsacrine is not cell cycle phase-specific, cytotoxicity is maximal during the G2 and S phases.