Deacetylanisomycin is the core structure of a family of dihydroxypyrrolidines produced by several species of Streptomyces. Anisomycin esters are potent inhibitors of protein synthesis. While considered inactive, deacetylanisomycin is a potent growth regulator in plants and its underlying pharmacology is poorly researched. This is all the more significant as anisomycin undergoes facile hydrolysis to deacetylanisomycin in vivo and in polar solvents in vitro.