Pteroic acid belongs to the class of chemical entities known as pterins. These are polycyclic aromatic compounds containing a pterin moiety, which consists of a pteridine ring bearing a ketone and an amine group to form 2-aminopteridin-4(3H)-one. It is known that pteroic acid inhibits Dihydropterate synthase from Bacillus anthracis, which is a target for the sulfonamide class of antibiotics. However, increasing resistance has encouraged the development of new therapeutic agents against this enzyme.

Syringic acid (SYRA) is a potential antioxidant used in traditional Chinese medicine and is an emerging nutraceutical. Current reports claim its potential anti-angiogenic, anti-glycating, anti-hyperglycaemic, neuroprotective, and memory-enhancing properties in various animal models. Syringic acid (SA) possesses anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory and anti-steatotic effects via the regulation of lipid metabolic and inflammatory genes. SA is likely to be a new natural therapeutic agent for obesity or non-alcoholic liver disease. Syringic acid reduces oxidative stress and axonal degeneration in rat sciatic nerve after ischemia/reperfusion injury. Syringic acid may play a role in the treatment of peripheral nerve injuries due to ischemia/reperfusion.

Vulpinic Acid is a lichen metabolite with anti-inflammatory properties. Vulpinic Acid acts as photoprotective agent and antifungal agent. Vulpinic acid mainly affects cell cycle, glycogen metabolism, transcription and translation to fungi. Vulpinic acid showed very strong inhibition effect on TrxR (mitochondrial thioredoxin reductase), so it may be used as a potential drug for cancer therapy. Vulpinic acid possesses diverse biological activities, and lichens containing Vulpinic acid have a strong history of medicinal use. For example, Eskimos and people of Northern Europe have used lichens containing Vulpinic acid to poison the wolf and fox.Lichens containing Vulpinic acid are used as fodder for reindeer and emergency food by Arctic and Subarctic peoples. In central Europe, members of the genus Cetraria, which is known to produce Vulpinic acid, have been used as laxatives and have been taken for coughing, including that associated with tuberculosis.