3-hydroxybutyric acid is involved in the synthesis and degradation of ketone bodies. Like the other ketone bodies (acetoacetate and acetone) levels of beta-hydroxybutyrate are raised in the blood and urine in ketosis. Beta-hydroxybutyrate is a typical partial-degradation product of branched-chain amino acids (primarily valine) released from muscle for hepatic and renal gluconeogenesis.

Carboxyatractyloside dipotassium is a toxic natural product, acts as an inhibitor of ADP/ATP carrier, inhibits mitochondrial ADP/ATP transport.

GS-9620 is an effective and specific orally active agonist of Toll-like receptor 7.