lithospermic acid is a potent anti-HIV agent and shows anti-gonadotrophic and anti-thyroidal effects.

Isobutylshikonin exhibits obvious antioxidant activities , it exerts very good radical scavenging activities toward ABTS+ but shows moderate inhibition of DPPH·.

Beta-Hydroxyisovalerylshikonin is an inhibitor of protein-tyrosine kinases such as v-Src and EGFR, and has been shown to induce apoptosis in several human tumor cell lines. Beta-Hydroxyisovalerylshikonin significantly decreased viability of HCT116 cells (IC50 values = 30.9 μg mL).

β,β-Dimethylacrylalkannin is a natural product isolated from Arnebia nobilis Reichb.f, increases collagen and involucrin content in skin cells.

1. Acetylshikonin exhibits weak cytotoxicity against human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with IC5 of over 2 microM, exhibits the antiangiogenic and antitumorigenic effects by suppressing proliferation and angiogenic factors. 2. Acetylshikonin inhibits the generation of NADPH oxidase complex in the activation of respiratory burst of PMNs, but does not directly inhibit the activity of NADPH oxidase already generated. 3. Certain shikonin derivatives(such as Acetylshikonin) act as modulators of the Nur77-mediated apoptotic pathway and identify a new shikonin-based lead that targets Nur77 for apoptosis induction. 4. Acetylshikonin, shikonin, and alkannin have accelerative effect on the proliferation of granulation tissue in rats. 5. Acetylshikonin has inhibitory effect on the edematous response is due neither to the release of steroid hormones from the adrenal gland nor to the glucocorticoid activity, but probably partly to the suppression of mast cell degranulation and partly to protection of the vasculature from mediator challenge. 6. Acetylshikonin induces apoptosis of hepatitis B virus X protein-expressing human hepatocellular carcinoma cells via endoplasmic reticulum stress.

1. Deoxyshikonin (Arnebin 7) may be a new drug candidate for wound healing and treatment of lymphatic diseases. 2. Deoxyshikonin enhances the ability of human dermal lymphatic microvascular endothelial cells (HMVEC-dLy) to undergo time-dependent in vitro cord formation. 3. Deoxyshikonin and dodecyl gallate show significantly synergic antimicrobial activity with penicillin in vivo and in vitro, and can effectively reduce nasopharyngeal and lung colonization caused by different penicillin-resistant pneumococcal serotypes.

1. β,β-Dimethylacrylshikonin (Dimethylacrylshikonin) is a promising agent for developing an improved strategy for radiotherapy against tumors. (a) Injection of Dimethylacrylshikonin combined with IR treatment significantly suppressed tumor growth of the HCT-116 xenograft. (b) Dimethylacrylshikonin significantly suppressed the growth of H(22) transplantable hepatoma, and induced the activation of caspase-3 . (c) Dimethylacrylshikonin inhibited growth of gastric cancer SGC-791 cells by inducing ERK signaling pathway. 2. Dimethylacrylshikonin inhibits the proliferation of MCF-7 cells in vitro by inducing apoptosis through the downregulation of Bcl-2, upregulation of Bax and partial inactivation of the NF-κB pathway.

(-)-Alkannin (Shikonin) is a natural red naphthoquinone pigment, has antimicrobial, anti-tumor, and anti-inflammatory effects; a purified shikonin preparation is widely used for the production of medicinals, cosmetics, and some food products; shikonin also enters into the antiinflammatory ointment and cream compositions used for the treatment of burns. It can suppress the cell viability, adhesion, invasion and migratory ability of MGC-803 cells through TLR2- or NF-κB-mediated pathway.

(Rac)-Shikonin (Anchusin) is a natural red naphthoquinone pigment, has antimicrobial, anti-tumor, and anti-inflammatory effects; a purified shikonin preparation is widely used for the production of medicinals, cosmetics, and some food products; shikonin also enters into the antiinflammatory ointment and cream compositions used for the treatment of burns. It can suppress the cell viability, adhesion, invasion and migratory ability of MGC-803 cells through TLR2- or NF-κB-mediated pathway.

Lithospermoside (Griffonin) has anti-oxidant, anti-tumor promoting activities.

Beta-Acetoxyisovalerylshikonin is a naphthoquinone derivative extracted from Arnebia euchroma.

(-)-5-Epilithospermoside is proposed as a potential marker of botanical origin for phacelia honey.

(2-Methylbutyryl)shikonin is a natural product from Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb. et Zucc.

Shikonofuran A, a natural product, is isolated from Lithosperrrium erythrorhizon Sieb.

Acetylshikonin can effectively inhibit tumor cells, it can be used to treat hepatocellular carcinoma cells expressing hepatitis B virus X protein (HBX) by inducing ER stress , an oncoprotein from hepatitis B virus. Acetylshikonin inhibits the production of eicosanoid, is due to the attenuation of cytosolic phospholipase A(2) membrane recruitment via the decrease in [Ca(2+)](i) and to the blockade of cyclooxygenase and 5-lipoxygenase activity.