Alpha-thujaplicinol, an isomer of thujaplicinol, is often encountered in the Asian species of Thujopsis dolabrata, and exhibits high antibacterial and antifungal activities. It has been found to be effective against Enterococcus faecalis and Legionella pneumophila, even at low inhibitory concentrations (1.56 to 50 mg/ml).
In a 2004 study, α-thujaplicinol showed to have high cytotoxic effects upon several cancer cell lines, such as human stomach cancer and murine lymphocytic leukemia.
The other isomer of the compound is called β-thujaplicinol. A recent study found out that it inhibited the development of hepatocellular carcinoma cells because it triggered the autophagic cell death and a subsequent apoptosis.
Earlier studies have shown that β-thujaplicinol can addiotionally suppress estrogen-dependent breast cancer by regulating the estrogen receptor signaling.