A natural steroid glycoside with diverse effects; inhibits release of β-hexosaminidase from RBL-2H3 cells (IC50 = 100 μM) and inhibits the IgE-dependent passive cutaneous anaphylaxis reaction in mice at a concentration of 25 mg/kg; inhibits the replication and proliferation of MHV-68 (IC50 = 2.77 μM) and lytic replication of human gammaherpes virus in BC3 cells; inhibits growth of HRA ovarian and Bxpc-3 pancreatic cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner; decreases immobility time in the forced swim test in a mouse model of colorectal carcinoma; reduces infarct volume in a rat model of ischemia-reperfusion-induced brain injury