Endrysone is a glucocorticoid with anti-inflammatory and antiallergic properties. It is used topically for skin conditions as an ophthalmic anti-inflammatory agent.

Tipredane is one of the compounds of a new series of sulfur-containing steroids synthesized at The Squibb Institute for Medical Research and is being developed for topical treatment of human dermatoses. Tipredane is structurally unique in that the classical l7-beta two-carbon side chain and the 17-alpha hydrogen of the steroid have been replaced by two alkylthio substituents. Tipredane has been shown to possess moderate to potent anti-inflammatory activity in various animal models, and to exhibit favorable separation of local anti-inflammatory activity from adverse systemic effects in both animals and humans. After oral administration, [3H]tipredane was rapidly absorbed, metabolized, and excreted into urine and feces. Metabolism of tipredane was rapid and complex, with significant species differences, although the disposition in rhesus and cynomolgus monkeys seemed to be similar to humans. Tipredane had been investigated as the therapeutic agent for the treatment of allergic rhinitis, asthma and skin disorders. However, this development was discontinued.

Dimesone is a synthetic glucocorticoid with anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic activity.

Gestaclone was developed as a progesterone receptor agonist; however, this compound has never been marketed. Information about the current use of this compound is not available.

Valnivudine, also known as FV-100, a prodrug that has been indicated as a potential antiviral for the treatment of shingles (herpes zoster) that could both reduce the pain burden of the acute episode and reduce the incidence of post‐herpetic neuralgia compared to available treatments. Phase I clinical trial with FV100 showed safety and tolerability in healthy volunteers. Valnivudine also participated in phase III, where its efficacy was compared with valacyclovir; however, the study was terminated.

The antibiotic anthelmycin was first isolated by Hamill and Hoehn from culture filtrates of Streptomyces longissimus. Anthelmycin (hikizimycin) has also been isolated from the fermentation broth of Streptomyces sp., strain A-5 which was obtained from a soil sample collected at the Hikizi river-side, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, by Uchida K. et al. Anthelmycin (hikizimycin) is active against fungi, especially phytopathogenic fungi. The drug inhibits the growth of a number of prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms and also has antihelminthic activity. Anthelmycin inhibits protein synthesis on both pro- and eukaryotic ribosomes by preventing the peptide bond-forming reaction. The drug is structurally similar to certain other 4-aminohexosyl cytosine antibiotics including blasticidin S, gougerotin, amicetin and bamicetin although unlike these compounds anthelmycin lacks an aminoacyl moiety. It is proposed that anthelmycin inhibits the ribosomal peptidyl transferase centre by associating with a site that overlaps the (related) ribosomal receptor site(s) for the other four inhibitors.

Oleandrin is a toxic cardiac glycoside found in oleander (Nerium oleander L.). Along with neandrin it is primarily responsible for the toxicity of the sap of oleander. Oleandrin has been used for many years in China and Russia for its properties as a cardiac glycoside, for both suicidal and therapeutic purposes as in treatment of cardiac insufficiency. Because of its properties as a cardiac glycoside, oleandrin interferes in some essential processes within the cell, the most important of these being the inhibition of the Na-K ATPase. This protein enables the cell to exchange the cations Na+ and K+ between the intercellular and extracellular spaces by which, for instance, electronic signaling is made possible in nerve cells. Oleandrin binds to specific amino acids in the protein, causing it to lose its function. After depolarization of the cell in which Na+ flows into the cell, the Na+ cannot be transported back into the extracellular membrane, causing the sodium gradient to disappear. This gradient is the driving force for other transport proteins, such as the sodium-calcium exchanger, which plays an important role in cardiomyocytes. To make muscle contraction possible, a calcium influx from the extracellular fluid into the cell is crucial. After the muscle contraction, the calcium is normally pumped out of the cell and exchanged for sodium. When the sodium gradient is depleted, calcium cannot be pumped back and, as a consequence, accumulates in the cardiomyocyte. As a result of the high calcium concentration, actin and myosin filaments will bind stronger, unable to relax properly to make a new contraction possible. This may result in cardiac arrhythmias, in the worst case decreasing cardiac output and causing a shortage in oxygen supply in vital tissues. Apart from being a potent toxic compound, it may also be used in therapeutic ways. Both oleandrin and oleandrigenin, as well as their relatives, may be able to inhibit proliferation of tumor cells and stimulate their apoptosis as a result of the high concentration of intracellular calcium. In addition, it inhibits excretion of fibroblast growth factor 2 through membrane interaction and through inhibition of the Na,K-ATPase pump. However, there are no results from clinical testing on humans that support any use as a cancer treatment. Oleandrin has been reported to be lethal, but exact dosages are not fully documented. The fatal blood concentration of oleandrin has been estimated for humans to be approximately 20 ng/ml in decreased blood by extrapolation of intoxication symptoms. Symptoms present in poisoned animals include bloody diarrhea and colic, the latter especially in horses. Because the leaf itself is quite bitter, only starving animals will be likely to eat the plant. The lethal dosage for animals is estimated to be about 0.5 mg/kg.

Sepranolone (UC1010) is a GABA-A modulating steroid antagonist (GAMSA) and does not antagonize the effect of GABA itself or other GABAA agonists like benzodiazepines and barbiturates. The interaction of neuroactive steroids (i.e., allopregnanolone and Sepranolone) with GABA-A receptor is particularly important in mood disorders. For example, allopregnanolone administration decreased saccadic eye velocity in healthy female volunteers and induced sedation and these effects were diminished by simultaneous sepranolone administration. Thus, allopregnanolone effects are antagonized by its isomer sepranolone. UC1010 reduces symptom severity and impairment significantly more efficiently than placebo in women with a well-defined, pure premenstrual dysphoric disorder. No severe adverse events were reported during the UC1010 treatment and safety parameters (vital signs and blood chemistry) remained normal during the study. It was revealed also that increases in ring A-reduced progesterone metabolites, particularly Sepranolone, are associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Dideoxyadenosine (2′,3′-dideoxyadenosine) is a prodrug form of didanosine (2',3'-dideoxyinosine), a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor analog of adenosine. 2',3'-Dideoxyadenosine and 2',3'-dideoxyinosine were shown to be equally effective in the inhibition of HIV proliferation in human T cells. Dideoxyadenosine competitively inhibits adenylyl cyclase, thereby reducing levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). By inhibiting cAMP-mediated gene activation in tumor cells, this agent may retard tumor cell proliferation. 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine inhibits retroviral DNA synthesis and mRNA expression in T cells exposed to the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, and affords such cells long-term protection in vitro under conditions of substantial viral excess. 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine appears to completely block reverse transcription from viral RNA to viral DNA. 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine was also shown not only to possess antibacterial activity in vitro against a variety of Enterobacteriaceae, but also to be effective in vivo, dideoxyadenosine was active in experimental mouse infections by the oral route against 5 Salmonella strains, 2 of 3 Arizona strains, 5 of 7 Citrobacter strains, 3 of 8 Klebsiella strains, 3 of 5 Escherichia strains, 1 of 3 Shigella strains, and 3 of 15 Serratia strains at concentrations generally well below the toxic level.

Fucoxanthin isis a marine carotenoid mainly found in brown algae, giving them a brown or olive-green color. Fucoxanthin is investigated for its anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and anti-cancer effects. In vivo studies have demonstrated that oral administration of fucoxanthin inhibited carcinogenesis in an animal model of duodenal, skin, colon and liver cancer. Fucoxanthin causes antitumor and anticarcinogenic effects by inducing G1 cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis by modulating expression of various cellular molecules and cellular signal transduction pathways, but the exact mechanism of anti-cancer action of fucoxanthin is not fully elucidated. Fucoxanthin regulates lipids metabolism, the effect most likely mediated by AMK-activated protein kinase. A clinical trial of fucoxanthin against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is ongoing.