Berberine has neuroprotective, antidepressant, antineoplastic, and anti- fibrosis activities; it is a potent oral hypoglycemic agent with beneficial effects on lipid metabolism, it may as a broad-spectrum anti-microbial medicine, a complementary therapeutic agent for HIV/AIDS; it also may be one of the targeted therapeutic agents that can restore barrier function in intestinal disease states.Berberine is used in histology for staining heparin in mast cells. As a natural dye, berberine has a colour index of 75160. Berberine is a berberine alkaloid, an organic heteropentacyclic compound, an alkaloid antibiotic and a botanical anti-fungal agent. It has a role as a geroprotector, an antioxidant, a metabolite, a hypoglycemic agent, an EC 3.1.3.48 (protein-tyrosine-phosphatase) inhibitor, an antineoplastic agent, an antilipemic drug, an EC 3.1.1.8 (cholinesterase) inhibitor, an EC 3.1.1.7 (acetylcholinesterase) inhibitor, an EC 1.1.1.21 (aldehyde reductase) inhibitor, an EC 3.1.1.

Licochalcone B has antitumor, antimetastatic, cardioprotective, antioxidant, antiapoptotic, and anti-inflammatory effects, it can significantly inhibit LPS-induced phosphorylation at serine 276 and transcriptional activation of NF-KB. Licochalcone B can protect the liver from carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced injury, the protection may be due to inhibition of p38 and NFκB signaling, which subsequently reduces inflammation in the liver.