Isotaxiresinol, a natural product isolated and purified from the branch of Taxus wallichiana, may be useful for treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis, especially for prevention of bone fracture induced by estrogen deficiency, and prevents d-GalN/LPS-induced hepatic injury by inhibiting hepatocyte apoptosis through the blocking of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma production by activated macrophages and direct inhibition of the apoptosis induced by TNF-alpha.