Propiolactone (or beta-propiolactone) is a disinfectant used in vapor form to sterilize vaccines, grafts, blood plasma, surgical instruments. It has been used against bacteria, fungi, and virus. Propiolactone was first commercially available in the United States in 1958 but then was withdrawn because it was discovered that compound was a human carcinogen. The results have shown the generation of tumors in several tissues and from different administration routes. Propiolactone is a direct-acting alkylating agent that reacts with polynucleotides and DNA, mainly at N7 of guanine and N1 of adenine, to form carboxyethyl derivatives.

Beta-sitosterol is one of the main dietary phytosterols found in plants which have a similar skeleton as cholesterol. In human clinical trials, beta-sitosterol has been shown to have cholesterol-lowering effects and to relieve symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia. There has been a large amount of basic research conducted for potential applications of beta-sitosterol in a diverse range of conditions including cervical cancer, breast cancer, cystic fibrosis, and others. Beta-sitosterol is available over the counter as a natural health supplement and is marketed for a wide range of applications including headaches, tuberculosis, allergies, cancers, fibromyalgia, lupus, asthma, hair loss and many others.

Beta-alanine is an endogenous agonist of glycine receptor, which is used a supplementation among competitive athletes participating in a range of different sports. Beta-alanine has been shown to enhance muscular endurance and its supplementation appears to be most effective for exercise tasks that rely heavily on ATP synthesis from anaerobic glycolysis.

Betadex is a nonreducing cyclic compound composed of seven alpha-(1-4) linked D-glucopyranosyl units. It is a pharmacologically inactive substance. Betadex is useful for stabilizing, solubilizing or delivering intermediate size molecules. Cyclodextrins are cyclic oligosaccharides that have been used to modulate the composition of cholesterol and other lipids in biological membranes and have also been used as pharmaceutical excipients in the formulation of hydrophobic drugs. More recently, 2-Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrins (HPβCDs) have gained attention as a potential therapeutic intervention for Niemann-Pick Disease Type C1 (NPC1) disease. HPβCDs are complex mixtures of different species, and variations in production may lead to differences in composition. 2-Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin dose-dependent effects against dysfunctional intracellular cholesterol trafficking in NPC1 cells.

Beta-Hydroxyisovaleric acid (also known as 3-hydroxyisovaleric acid or 3HIA) is a normal human metabolite excreted in the urine. It is a byproduct of the leucine degradation pathway. Beta-Hydroxyisovaleric acid serves as a sensitive indicator of marginal biotin deficiency in humans. The variability of the proportion of leucine catabolites excreted as 3HIA suggests substantial population heterogeneity in the metabolic capacity of the 3HIA-carnitine detoxification pathway. In addition, was shown that in type II diabetic patients the catabolism of leucine was accelerated even in the absence of ketosis and that the urinary beta-hydroxyisovaleric acid concentration was a useful marker of short-term metabolic control in these patients.

4-Amino-3-hydroxybutanoic acid (GABOB) is an endogenous ligand found in the central nervous system in mammals. γ-Amino-β-hydroxybutyric acid is a derivative of the neurotransmitter GABA. It has been claimed to be of value in neurological disorders and to have an antihypertensive effect. γ-Amino-β-hydroxybutyric acid can help overcome stress and anxiety, improve learning and boost memory function. It is also known to increase growth hormone levels, which help the body heal and rejuvenate itself. There are no reported side effects of γ-Amino-β-hydroxybutyric acid when taken at therapeutic dosages. At high dosages, some slight drowsiness may occur. Adverse effects have included dizziness and anorexia also.