Glycyrrhetinic acid is a pentacyclic triterpenoid that is olean-12-ene substituted by a hydroxy group at position 3, an oxo group at position 11 and a carboxy group at position 30. It has a role as an immunomodulator and a plant metabolite. It is a pentacyclic triterpenoid, a hydroxy monocarboxylic acid and a cyclic terpene ketone. It is a conjugate acid of a glycyrrhetinate. It derives from a hydride of an oleanane.

Silychristin is a flavonolignan isolated from Silybum marianum and has been shown to exhibit inhibitory activities against lipoxygenase and prostaglandin synthetase. It has a role as a metabolite, a lipoxygenase inhibitor, a radical scavenger and a prostaglandin antagonist. It is a secondary alpha-hydroxy ketone, a polyphenol, an aromatic ether, a member of 1-benzofurans and a flavonolignan. Silychristin is a plant growth regulator, is an anti-hepatotoxic agent, is also an inhibitor of horseradish peroxidases and lipoxygenase.