Torilin is an inhibitor of testosterone 5 alpha-reductase, it (IC50 = 31.7 +/- 4.23 microM) shows a stronger inhibition of 5 alpha-reductase than alpha-linolenic acid (IC50 = 160.3 +/- 24.62 microM) but is weaker than finasteride (IC50 = 0.38 +/- 0.06 microM). Torilin has immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, and anti-inflammatory properties, it inhibits inflammation by limiting TAK1-mediated MAP kinase and NF-κB activation, it can attenuate arthritis severity, modify leukocyte activations in dLNs or joints, and restore serum and splenocyte cytokine imbalances. Torilin inhibits melanin production in alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone-activated B16 melanoma cells, with an IC(50) value of 25 microM. Torilin shows excellent antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 spores and vegetative cells. Torilin has a potent anti-angiogenic activity both in vivo and in vitro, and it may have a strong activity to suppress tumorigenesis by inhibition of tumor invasion, it reverses multidrug-resistance in cancer cells, it can potentiate the cytotoxicities of adriamycin, vinblastine, taxol and colchicine against multidrug-resistant KB-V1 and MCF7/ADR cells.

表皮黑色素细胞合成黑色素颗粒并将其转移至角质形成细胞，这一过程对皮肤着色负有责任。然而，黑色素颗粒的异常积累会导致色素沉着过度疾病，而使用酪氨酸酶抑制剂治疗可显著改善。在我们正在进行的研究中，发现了日本薹(Torilis japonica DC. [Umbelliferae])能够抑制黑色素的产生。本研究的一个目标是阐明T. japonica的美白主要成分。方法与结果：通过生物活性引导的植物化学分析，从植物提取物中分离出了一种倍半萜结构的Torilin。Torilin能够剂量依赖性抑制α-黑色素刺激激素(α-MSH)激活的B16黑色素瘤细胞中的黑色素产生，其IC(50)值为25微米。作为皮肤美白剂的阳性对照，熊果素也能抑制α-MSH诱导的黑色素产生，其IC(50)值为170微米。就作用方式而言，Torilin降低了α-MSH诱导的酪氨酸酶蛋白水平，而不是直接抑制酶的催化活性。结论：综上所述，本研究表明Torilin是T. japonica的美白主要成分之一，并暗示其在黑色素相关的色素沉着过度疾病中的药理潜力。