The structure of the prespore-cell-promoting factor from Dictyostelium discoideum was determined to be 2-hydroxy-5-methyl-6-pentylbenzoquinone. The synthetic compound has prespore-cell-promoting activity similar to the natural one, with half-maximal induction at a concentration as low as 40 pM. It was also found that the factor induces aggregation in an aggregation-deficient mutant of a related species, Polysphodilium violaceum. Both these activities are sensitive to positional isomerism with the 6-methyl-5-pentyl isomer showing no detectable activity.

Twenty kinds of cyclic dipeptides containing l-leucine were synthesized, and their antioxidant activity against OH and O2·- was investigated. Compounds possessing polar amino acid residues, such as Asp, Cys, Glu, Lys, Pro, Ser, and Trp, exhibited higher antioxidant activity against OH than vitamin E. However, only cyclo(l-Cys–l-Leu) scavenged O2·-.

In our previous paper, we reported that rosmarinic acid (1) of Argusia argentea could neutralize snake venom induced hemorrhagic action. Rosmarinic acid (1) consists of two phenylpropanoids: caffeic acid (2) and 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)lactic acid (3). In this study, we investigated the structural requirements necessary for inhibition of snake venom activity through the use of compounds, which are structurally related to rosmarinic acid (1). By examining anti-hemorrhagic activity of cinnamic acid analogs against Protobothrops flavoviridis (Habu) venom, it was revealed that the presence of the E-enoic acid moiety (–CHCH–COOH) was critical. Furthermore, among the compound tested, it was concluded that rosmarinic acid (1) (IC50 0.15 μM) was the most potent inhibitor against the venom.

Previously, we reported the structural requirements of the cinnamic acid relatives for inhibition of snake venom hemorrhagic action. In the present study, we examined the effect of benzenepolycarboxylic acids and substituted benzoic acids against Protobothropsflavoviridis venom-induced hemorrhage. Pyromellitic acid (1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylic acid) was found to be a potent inhibitor of hemorrhage, with an IC50 value of 0.035 μM. In addition, most of the antihemorrhagic activity of compounds tested in this experiment showed good correlation to acidity.