[5][6] Leonurine can regulate a variety of functions including oxidative stress, inflammation, fibrosis, apoptosis, and metabolic disorder.

[7][8][9] Leonurine has demonstrated antidepressant-like action and has been shown to increase levels of serotonin, noradrenaline, and dopamine in chronic mild stress studies on mice and inhibits the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

[13][14][15][16] It protects against oxidative damage from ischemic stroke and demonstrates neuroprotective activity against focal cerebral ischemia brain injury induced on rats.

Protection with ethyl chloroformate followed by reaction with thionyl chloride (SOCl2) and then tetrahydrofuran yields 4-carboethoxysyringic acid 4-chloro-1-butyl ester.

The chloride is then converted to an amino group via a Gabriel synthesis (with potassium phthalimide) followed by hydrazinolysis (Ing–Manske procedure).