A very long-chain fatty alcohol with diverse biological activities active against the bacteria K pneumoniae S flexneri S typhi and E faecalis (MICs 4 8 2 and 32 Ug/ml respectively) as well as the pathogenic fungi T ajelloi and T rubrum (MICs 4 and 32 Ug/ml respectively) reduces LPS-induced expression of TNF-a iNOS IL-1B and IL-6 in RAW 264 7 cells at 30 and 100 Ug/ml increases body weight decreases diarrhea and hematochezia and improves histopathological and morphological changes in the colon in a mouse model of DSS-induced ulcerative ecolitis at 100 mg/kg per day reduces carbon tetrachloride-induced increases in serum transaminase hepatic myeloperoxidase and hepatic xanthine oxidase activity as well as lipid peroxidation in a rat model of acute liver injury progression at 10 50 or 100 mg/kg reverses decreases in hepatic superoxide dismutase and catalase activity as well as GSH levels in a rat model of acute liver injury progression at 10 50 or 100 mg/kg