Silydianin, an active constituent of Silybium marianum, has inhibitory effect on on the in vitro production and release of oxidative products. Silydianin has possible antiinflammatory activity, which regulates caspase-3 activation, affects cell membranes and acts as a free radical scavenger.

Deoxyarbutin possesses a potent ability in skin lightening and antioxidation with less melanosome cytotoxicity, it is an effective hypopigmentation agent, it is widely used in skin lighting. Deoxyarbutin can combate tumour in vitro and in vivo by inhibiting the proliferation and metastasis of tumour via a p38-mediated mitochondria associated apoptotic pathway.

Ganodermanondiol exhibits potent cytoprotective effects on t-BHP-induced hepatotoxicity in human liver-derived HepG2 cells, presumably through Nrf2-mediated antioxidant enzymes and AMPK. It also can significantly inhibit the proliferation of leukemic cancer cells, and it could be one of the antileukemie active constituents of Ganoderma lucidum. Ganodermanondiol shows a strong anticomplement activity against the classical pathway (CP) of the complement system with IC(50) values of 41.7 microM. It shows significant anti-human immunodeficiency virus (anti-HIV)-1 protease activity with IC50 values of 20-90 microM.

Hordenine is an inhibitor of noradrenaline uptake, is also an effective inhibitor of hyperpigmentation. It can inhibit melanogenesis by suppressing cAMP production, which is involved in the expression of melanogenesis-related proteins. Hordenine also has a positive inotropic effect upon the heart, increases systolic and diastolic blood pressure, peripheral blood flow volume, inhibits gut movements.

(-)-Chimonanthine (IC50 = 0.93 uM) shows potent inhibitory effects on melanogenesis in theophylline-stimulated murine B16 melanoma 4A5 cells. (-)-chimonanthine is the (3aS,3a'S,8aS,8a'S)-stereoisomer of chimonanthine. It is an enantiomer of a (+)-chimonanthine.