Salazinic acid is a depsidone lichen metabolite first reported over a 100 years ago and widely distributed across many lichen genera. Salazinic acid is moderately active against Gram-positive bacteria and some Gram-negative bacteria (P. aeruginosa and S. typhimurium), but activity appears to show selectivity with no activity against other bacteria including L. monocytogenes, P. vulgaris, Y. enterocolitica and S. fecalis. Salazinic acid has antioxidant properties and is active against human melanoma and colon cancer cell lines.