Methyl salicylate (or methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate), also known as wintergreen oil, is a natural product and is present in white wine, tea, porcini mushroom Boletus edulis, Bourbon vanilla, clary sage, red sage and fruits including cherry, apple, raspberry, papaya and plum. Methyl salicylate is topically used in combination with methanol and under brand name SALONPAS to temporarily relieves mild to moderate aches and pains of muscles and joints associated with: strains, sprains, simple backache, arthritis, bruises. The precise mechanism of action of methyl salicylate is not known, but there is suggested, that it cause dilation of the capillaries thereby increasing blood flow to the area.

Shikonin is a major naphthoquinone compound found in the roots of Lithospermum erythrorhizon and exhibits powerful anticancer activities for various cancer cells. Shikonin and its derivatives are characterized by a wide spectrum of antibacterial activities: high antibacterial activity towards Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus et al.), a stable fungicidal effect towards Candida and Trichosporon fungi. Shikonin normalizes the production of the key mediators of inflammation IL-1 and IL-2, IFN-γ, reduces vascular permeability in the focus of inflammation, exhibiting a marked anti-inflammatory effect. Combined therapy with applications of a bio-polymeric film with shikonin and its esters (naphthoquinone derivatives) led to an obvious improvement of the clinical parameters and reduced the morphological signs of the buccal mucosal lesions. The drug was well tolerated by all patients and no side effects were recorded. Shikonin, as a naturally occurring, low-molecular-weight pan-chemokine receptor inhibitor, constitutes a basis for the development of novel anti-HIV therapeutic agents.