Sarmentosin significantly lowers the SGPT level of patients suffering from chronic viral hepatitis, and shows a suppressive effect on cell-mediated immune responses in mice. It shows a good effect in lowering serum glutamate-pyruvate transaminase.

Here, we report on the occurrence of Sarmentosin and related compounds in four different Parnassius species belonging to two different clades, as well as their known and suspected food plants. There were dramatic differences between the two clades, with P. apollo and P. smintheus from the Apollo group containing high amounts of Sarmentosin, and P. clodius and P. mnemosyne from the Mnemosyne group containing low or no detectable amounts. This was reflected in the larval food plants; P. apollo and P. smintheus larvae feed on Sedum species (Crassulaceae), which all contained considerable amounts of Sarmentosin, while the known food plants of the two other species, Dicentra and Corydalis (Fumariaceae), had no detectable levels of Sarmentosin.