Sennoside B is a member of the class of sennosides that is (9R,9'S)-9,9',10,10'-tetrahydro-9,9'-bianthracene-2,2'-dicarboxylic acid which is substituted by hydroxy groups at positions 4 and 4', by beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy groups at positions 5 and 5', and by oxo groups at positions 10 and 10'. It is an oxo dicarboxylic acid and a member of sennosides. Sennoside B, a major purgative component, has a potential utility in the treatment of proliferative diseases, through inhibiting PDGF-stimulated cell proliferation by binding to PDGF-BB and its receptor and by down-regulating the PDGFR-beta signaling pathway. It and sennoside A also possess significant gastroprotective activities .

Physcion is a dihydroxyanthraquinone that is 9,10-anthraquinone bearing hydroxy substituents at positions 1 and 8, a methoxy group at position 3, and a methyl group at position 6. It has been widely isolated and characterised from both terrestrial and marine sources. It has a role as a metabolite, an antibacterial agent, an antineoplastic agent, an antifungal agent, a hepatoprotective agent, an anti-inflammatory agent and an apoptosis inducer. Physcion shows cytotoxic effect on human cervical carcinoma HeLa cells and its apoptosis induction in HeLa cells was investigated by the expressions of p53, p21, Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-9, and caspase-3 proteins. Physcion controls powdery mildew mainly through changing the expression of defence-related genes, and especially enhancing expression of leaf-specific thionin in barley leaves.

Rhein has many pharmacological effects, including epatoprotective, nephroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, and antimicrobial activities, it has been proved effective in treatment of experimental diabetic nephropathy , one of the mechanism is the Inhibition of the hexosamine pathway. Rhein has protective effect on liver injury, the mechanisms possibly contribute to its action of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, also associated with its effect of inhibiting TGF-β1 and suppressing the activation of hepatic stellate cells.

Trans-rhaponticin is a rhaponticin in which the double bond adopts a trans-configuration. It possesses a range of pharmacological activities including antitumour, antiinflammatory, antilipemic and neuroprotective activities. It has a role as a hypoglycemic agent, an antineoplastic agent, an antilipemic drug, an angiogenesis inhibitor, an anti-allergic agent, a neuroprotective agent, an anti-inflammatory agent, an apoptosis inducer, an EC 2.3.1.

Sennoside D is a natural product from Cassia angustifolia.

Obtusifolin is a novel anti-breast-cancer bone metastasis agent, which has antioxidant, and antinociceptive properties.Obtusifolin has beneficial effects on the development of diabetic retinopathy via inhibition of accumulation of oxidatively modified DNA and nitrotyrosine in the retina, can help prevent vision loss in diabetic patients. Gluco-Obtusifolin and its aglycone may be useful for the treatment of cognitive impairment, and that its beneficial effects are mediated, in part, by the enhancement of cholinergic signaling.

Sennidin B stimulates glucose incorporation in rat adipocytes.

Sennoside A is a member of the class of sennosides that is rel-(9R,9'R)-9,9',10,10'-tetrahydro-9,9'-bianthracene-2,2'-dicarboxylic acid which is substituted by hydroxy groups at positions 4 and 4', by beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy groups at positions 5 and 5', and by oxo groups at positions 10 and 10'. The exact stereochemisty at positions 9 and 9' is not known - it may be R,R (as shown) or S,S. It is an oxo dicarboxylic acid and a member of sennosides. Sennoside A, a kind of irritant laxative isolated from rhei rhizome, causes purgative actions in the intestine, it and Sennoside B have protective effects on gastric lesion. Sennoside A also is a new dual HIV-1 inhibitor effective on HIV-1 replication.

Albaspidin AA displays strong antibacterial activity against the vegetative form of P. larvae (MIC ranging from 0.168-220 uM). It may have in vitro nematocidal activity against L4 stage larvae.

Sennoside C , aloe-emodin anthrone and rhein anthrone which formed mainly by intraluminal bacterial action, synergistically exert their purgative effects on mice.

Sennidin A, has two hydroxyanthraquinone-like moieties, exerts inhibition on NS3 helicase with IC50 values of 0.8 uM. Sennidin A in combination with necrosis inducing drugs/therapies may generate synergetic tumoricidal effects on solid malignancies by means of primary debulking and secondary cleansing process. It stimulates glucose incorporation in the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)- and Akt-dependent in rat adipocytes, but in the IR/IRS1-independent manner.