Polyphyllin G has been shown to have strong anticancer activities in a wide variety of human cancer cell lines, it also shows significant anthelmintic activity against Dactylogyrus intermedius with EC50 values of 1.2 mg L(-1) and the acute toxicities (LC50) values of 2.9 mg L(-1).

Ganoderic acid F has anti-hepatitis B, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor-promoting activities.

Isodeoxyelephantopin exerts antitumor effects on several cancer cells by inducing apoptosis , cell cycle arrest , and inhibiting proliferation. It enhances apoptosis and inhibit invasion and osteoclastogenesis by inhibiting NF-kappaB activation and NF-kappaB-regulated gene expression.

Bufotalin is a steroid lactone. It is functionally related to a bufanolide.

Melatonin is a member of the class of acetamides that is acetamide in which one of the hydrogens attached to the nitrogen atom is replaced by a 2-(5-methoxy-1H-indol-3-yl)ethyl group. It is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland in humans. It has a role as a geroprotector, a hormone, a central nervous system depressant, an anticonvulsant, a radical scavenger, an immunological adjuvant, a mouse metabolite and a human metabolite. It is a member of acetamides and a member of tryptamines. Melatonin, a hormone produced in the brain, is a potent melatonin receptor activator, and possesses important anti-cancer, antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, it can reduce lead toxicity in vivo and in vitro. Melatonin may be useful as a pharmacological agent to protect against hepatic metabolic diseases due to its ability to regulate expression of miR-23a.

Cinobufotalin is a main cardiac toxin in toad, it is a novel anti-HCC agent, it induces growth inhibition and apoptosis in cultured HCC cells through ceramide production. Cinobufotalin is also an effective reversal agent for the multidrug resistance of tumors, it can reverse the adriamycin-resistance in Raji/ADR cells and the expression of P-gp and MRP-1 proteins. Cinobufotalin can promote the dendritic cells(DCs) derived from peripheral blood of patients with chronic hepatitis B to mature and effectively enhance its(the DCs') capabilities, therefore the treatment of cinobufotalin may potentiate the antiviral immunity of the patients with chronic hepatitis B(CHB).

Bevirimat is a pentacyclic triterpenoid obtained by the formal condensation of 2,2-dimethylsuccinic acid with the 3-hydroxy group of betulinic acid. It is isolated from the Chinese herb Syzygium claviflorum. The first in the class of HIV-1 maturation inhibitors to be studied in humans, bevirimat was identified as a potent HIV drug candidate and several clinical trials were conducted, but development into a new drug was plagued by numerous resistance-related problems.

Dehydroeffusol possesses anti-cancer, anxiolytic and sedative properties, it may antagonize the spasmogenic activity of various agents, and therefore, could be a promising agent in the treatment of spasms. Dehydroeffusol displays enhanced antimicrobial activities in light, its antimicrobial activities (minimum inhibitory concentrations) against methicillin-resistant and -sensitive Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans are increased 16 fold by irradiation with ultraviolet A (UVA).