Salubrinal is a selective inhibitor of eIF2α dephosphorylation and inhibits ER stress-mediated apoptosis with EC50 of ~15 μM.

Salubrinal is a selective phosphatase inhibitor that prevents dephosphorylation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 subunit α (eIF2α), protecting PC12 cells from endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptosis (EC50 = 15 μM).It appears to block the action of protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) on eIF2α although it does not mimic calyculin A, another PP1-selective inhibitor, in toxicity or phosphorylation pattern.Salubrinal also prevents replication of herpes virus (IC50 = 3 μM), by inhibiting dephosphorylation of eIF2α.As eIF2α has a role in bone formation, salubrinal is being studied for its effects in osteoporosis.