STD052, a partially purified herbal material, is broadly used in various indications including gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and kidney diseases. However, large dose uptake of this plant often causes severe diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and other unwanted side effects. Sophisticated purification processes are now under optimization to separate the active ingredients from the fraction with severe side effects. STD052 with good safety profile are now being evaluated in animal models for its cholesterol/ triglyceride lowering and anti-obesity effects.