Halofuginone is a coccidiostat used in veterinary medicine. It is a synthetic halogenated derivative of febrifugine, a natural quinazolinone alkaloid which can be found in the Chinese herb Dichroa febrifuga. Halofuginone inhibits the development of T helper28cells, immune cells that play an important players in autoimmune disease, but it does not affect other kinds of T cells which involved in normal immune function. Halofuginone therefore has potential for the treatment of autoimmune disorders. Halofuginine is also an inhibitor of collagen type I gene expression and as a consequence it may inhibit tumor cell growth.