Antroquinonol ((+)-Antroquinonol), a ubiquinone derivative from the mushroom Antrodia camphorata, has hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects. Antroquinonol can be used for the research of colon cancer. Antroquinonol reduces oxidative stress by enhancing the Nrf2 signaling pathway and inhibits inflammation and sclerosis in focal segmental glomerulosclerosis mice.

Cobalt protoporphyrin IX (CoPPIX) is a potent and effective inducer of HO-1 (heme oxygenase-1) activity, up-regulates HO-1 via Bach1 and Nrf2 in human liver cells.CoPPIX did not influence hepatic Bach1 or Nrf2 mRNA levels, but markedly reduced Bach1 protein levels by increasing degradation of Bach1 protein, and increased Nrf2 by decreasing degradation of Nrf2 protein.CoPPIX significantly upregulated HO-1 protein in mucosal and submucosal cells.CoPPIX is a direct Bach1 inhibitor.

HPPE is a specific nonelectrophilic and physiological Bach1 inhibitor via heme-binding sites of Bach1 protein, derepresses Bach1-mediated repression.HPPE induces up-regulation of Hmox1 mRNA is mediated by Bach1 inhibition in vivo.

KI-696 (KI696) is a highly potent, selective inhibitor of KEAP1-NRF2 interaction, exhibits very high affinity for the KEAP1 Kelch domain with ITC Kd of 1.3 nM.KI-696 displays high selectivity against a panel of 49 in vitro functional assays for targets, with the exception of the OATP1B1 (IC50=2.5 µM), the bile salt export pump BSEP (IC50=4.0 µM), and PDE3A (IC50=10 uM).KI-696 increases NRF2 nuclear translocation in normal human bronchial epithelial cells, up-regulates NRF2-dependent gene expression NQO1 and GCLM, and increases NQO1 activity in an NRF2-dependent manner.KI-696 significantly reduces ozone-induced pulmonary inflammation, restores ozone-induced depletion of lung GSH levels in vivo.

MSU 38225 (MSU-38225) is a novel small molecule that inhibit the Nrf2 pathway, potentially inhibiting Nrf2 transcriptional activity and cancer cell growth; MSU38225 downregulates Nrf2 transcriptional activity and decreases the expression of Nrf2 downstream targets, including NQO1, GCLC, GCLM, AKR1C2, and UGT1A6. MSU38225 strikingly decreases the protein level of Nrf2, which can be blocked by the proteasome inhibitor MG132. Ubiquitination of Nrf2 is enhanced following treatment with MSU38225. By inhibiting production of antioxidants, MSU38225 increases the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) when cells are stimulated with tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP). MSU38225 also inhibits the growth of human lung cancer cells in both two-dimensional cell culture and soft agar.

PRL295 is a small molecule Keap1-Nrf2 protein–protein interaction inhibitor.PRL295 binds to Keap1 in the cellular environment, disrupting its interaction with Nrf2, which leads to enhanced gene expression of the classical Nrf2 target NQO1 in cells and in vivo in the mouse liver.PRL-295 increases the thermostability of Keap1 in cell lysates and in live cells.PRL 295 decreased the levels of plasma alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase upon acetaminophen-induced hepatic injury.

DDO-7263, a 1,2,4-Oxadiazole derivative, is a potent Nrf2 activator. DDO-7263 upregulates Nrf2 through binding to Rpn6 to block the assembly of 26S proteasome and the subsequent degradation of ubiquitinated Nrf2. DDO-7263 activates the Nrf2-ARE signaling pathway and exerts anti-inflammatory activity.

NXPZ-2 is an orally active Keap1-Nrf2 protein–protein interaction (PPI) inhibitor with a Ki value of 95 nM, EC50 value of 120 and 170 nM. NXPZ-2 can dose-dependently ameliorate Aβ[1-42]-Induced cognitive dysfunction, improve brain tissue pathological changes in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) mouse by increasing neuron quantity and function. NXPZ-2 can inhibit oxidative stress by increasing Nrf2 expression levels and promoting its cytoplasm to nuclear translocation, which is helpful for Keap1-Nrf2 PPI inhibitors and AD associated disease research.

BC-1901S is a potent small molecule NRF2 activator that stabilizes NRF2 and increases NRF2 activity, activates NRF2 by inhibiting NRF2 ubiquitination in a KEAP1-independent manner.

S217879 (S 217879) is a highly potent and selective NRF2 activator, binds to KEAP1 Kelch domain (SPR Kd=4.15 nM), disrupts the KEAP1-NRF2 interaction leading to robust NRF2 pathway activation.

sAKZ692 (sAKZ-692) is a small molecule activator of NRF2 transcriptional activity (EC50=2.2 uM) in cells by inhibiting the glycolytic enzyme pyruvate kinase.