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.