Hinokiresinol is a novel inhibitor of LTB4 binding to the human neutrophils, it has antiallergic effect, it inhibits IgE-induced mouse passive cutaneous anaphylaxis reaction. Hinokiresinol (trans-hinokiresinol) and nyasol (cis-hinokiresinol) are estrogen agonists, they possess appreciable estrogen receptor binding activity, they can stimulate the proliferation of estrogen- dependent T47D breast cancer cells, and their stimulatory effects could be blocked by an estrogen antagonist. They have similar free radical scavenging and anti-inflammatory activities, they also have anti-ischemic effects, only trans-hinokiresinol can significantly decrease neuronal injury in cultured cortical neurons exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation followed by re-oxygenation.