Beraprost is an analog of prostacyclin in which the unstable enol-ether has been replaced by a benzofuran ether function. This modification increases the plasma half-life from 30 seconds to several hours, and permits the compound to be taken orally. Doses of 20-100 µg in humans, given 1 to 3…

An antibacterial and coccidiostat compound that shows selective toxicity for HMLER breast cancer stem cells (IC₅₀ = ~24 μM); 8 μM treatment of 4T1 and MCF-7-Ras breast cancer cell lines decreases cancer stem cell growth ~2-fold and ~3-fold, respectively; 5 mg/kg inhibits mammary…

A natural type B trichothecene produced by certain species of the fungus Fusarium; inhibits protein biosynthesis, binds to peptidyl transferase, and inhibits the synthesis of RNA and DNA; passes the blood-brain barrier at different rates in different animals.

A prodrug for A-771726 that regulates T lymphocyte progression through the cell cycle by selectively inhibiting de novo pyrimidine synthesis; used to slow the disease progression of rheumatoid arthritis and as an immunosuppressive agent to prevent rejection of transplant allografts and xenografts.

A selective allosteric inhibitor of Bcr-Abl (IC₅₀s = 4.52, 0.38, and 0.93 µM against Bcr-Abl mutants G250E, E255V, and M351T, respectively); displays additive inhibitory activity against T315I Bcr-Abl mutants both in in vitro assays and in a recalcitrant T315I Bcr-Abl mutant mouse…

A protein cross-linking agent isolated from G. jasminoides Ellis; inhibits UCP2 activity; 5 µM genipin increases glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in isolated pancreatic islets chronically exposed to high levels of glucose; induces apoptosis in FaO rat hepatoma cells and human…

A DNA alkylating agents that induces DNA interstrand and intrastrand crosslinks, cytotoxicity, and apoptosis; inhibits the growth of PC-3 prostate cancer cells with IC₅₀ values of 0.074 or 0.77 μM for sequential dosing or single dosing, respectively.

Pargyline is an irreversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase (MAO) that is used clinically to treat moderate hypertension. At 10 mg/kg iv, pargyline induces a moderate decrease of systolic blood pressure in unanaesthetized hypertensive rats but not normotensive WKR or Sprague-Daley rats. The…

A non-selective NSAID exhibiting IC50 values of 0.5 and 2.33 µM for human recombinant COX-1 and COX-2, respectively.

An analog of wortmannin; irreversibly binds PI3K; inhibits recombinant PI3K and mTOR (IC₅₀ = 2.7 and 193 nM, respectively) and prevents the growth of LNCap cells (IC₅₀ = 1.46 μM).

A classical inhibitor of complex I of the mitochondrial electron transport chain, inhibiting NADH/DB oxidoreductase and NADH oxidase with IC₅₀ values of 28.8 and 5.1 nM, respectively; used in animal models of Parkinson’s disease.

A central nervous system modulator that is used to experimentally induce seizures in animals; used extensively to screen for compounds that block the production of nonconvulsive (absence or myoclonic) seizures.

A noncompetitive nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist with preferential activity at the α3β4 subtype (IC₅₀ = 90-640 nM) compared to α4β2, α3β2, and α7 subtypes (IC₅₀s range from 1-7 μM).

A potent, selective antagonist of TRPV4 channels, blocking the influx of calcium induced by the TRPV4 agonist GSK634775 with IC₅₀ values of 2, 5, and 40 nM for rat, mouse, and human isoforms, respectively; effective in vivo, as it resolves pulmonary edema resulting from myocardial…

A pyrimadine analog that irreversibly inhibits thymidylate synthase, blocking the synthesis of thymidine which is required for DNA synthesis; widely used to treat many gastrointestinal tract adenocarcinomas.

An inhibitor of protein synthesis in eukaryotes (IC₅₀ = 5-50 μM) that functions by interfering with translational elongation; can either induce or inhibit apoptosis depending on cell type.

An analog of 1,24-dihydroxy vitamin D3 which, when used in a 4 μg/g ointment, suppresses psoriasis; inhibits the growth of both normal and psoriatic human keratinocytes (IC50 ~ 10 nM) via the vitamin D receptor; suppresses the production of RANTES and IL-8 by human dermal fibroblasts.

A polymethoxylated flavone that has been shown to enhance adipogenesis and lipolysis, to inhibit α-glucosidase and α-amylase activity, and to suppress the expression of genes associated with inflammation by regulating IκBα.

A cell-permeable, stable free radical that is commonly used to evaluate the ability of compounds to act as free radical scavengers or hydrogen donors and to measure the antioxidant activity of tissue extracts; followed by color change from purple (absorbance at 515-528 nm) to yellow.

A potent, reversible, ATP-competitive, and selective inhibitor of the Src family of protein tyrosine kinases: p56lck (IC₅₀ = 4 nM), p59fynT (IC₅₀ = 5 nM), Hck (IC₅₀ = 5 nM).

A nitrogen mustard β-chloro-nitrosourea compound used as an alkylating agent to form interstrand crosslinks in DNA, which leads to cancer cell cytotoxity and apoptosis; also reported to inhibit glutathione reductase, thioredoxin reductase, and lipoamide dehydrogenase.

An intermediate produced from vitamin D2 by cytochrome P450 isoforms in vertebrates; subsequently metabolized to 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D2, which is an agonist for the vitamin D receptor.

A cyclododecadepsipeptide potassium-selective ionophore antibotic; induces apoptosis in several cell tyes, including CHO cells, by stimulating potassium efflux.

A cyanobacterial toxin that targets protein and glutathione synthesis in hepatocytes (IC50s = 1.3 and 2.4 µM, respectively), inhibits uridine monophosphate synthase complex activity (Ki = 10 µM), and induces DNA damage.

Capsaicin is the primary active component of the heat and pain-eliciting lipid-soluble fraction of the Capsicum pepper. Capsaicin is present in natural hot pepper extracts along with a number of impurities, including dihydrocapsaicin and several lesser impurities. Separation by HPLC is required in…

A thio analog of the purine base guanine that incorporates into DNA during replication, inducing double-strand breaks that destabilize its structure and result in cytotoxicity; used as a chemotherapeutic for acute leukemia and other types of cancer, including BRCA2-mutated tumors.

A neuroexcitatory amino acid that functions as a NMDA and metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist; used to induce brain lesions in animal models of cognitive dysfunction.

A colchicine derivative that inhibits tubulin polymerization (IC₅₀ = 2.1 μM) with low toxicity; suppresses microtubule dynamicity, inhibits cell migration, blocks microtubule assembly, and arrests cells in metaphase; used to synchronize cells and for karyotyping in cytogenetic studies.

A selective inhibitor of ABHD6 (IC₅₀ = 10 nM) with negligible activity against other serine hydrolases such as DAGLβ; used both as a probe to study ABHD6 and as a negative control for studies of DAGLβ.

An irreversible inhibitor of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1, a mitochondrial enzyme involved in fatty acid β-oxidation (IC50 = 5-20 nM in rat liver); also acts as a direct agonist of PPARα.

A benzothiazole derivative with anti-excitotoxic effects that acts by blocking the presynaptic release of glutamate, indirectly antagonizing glutamate receptors, and inactivating neuronal voltage-gated Na+ channels (ED50 = 2.3 μM); suppresses glutamate-induced seizures in rats (ED₅₀ =…

A dihydropyridine L-type calcium channel antagonist that displays antihypertensive and antianginal activity; selectively inhibits adenosine A3 receptors (Ki = 3.25 µM) and CYP3A4 catalytic activity (IC₅₀ = 0.148 µM); activates TRPA1 channels, producing an increase in Ca2+…