1,2,3,4-Tetra-O-acetyl-β-D-glucuronic acid methyl ester has been used in various biochemical studies. It has been used to study the potential of water-soluble camptothecin glucuronide derivatives as a cancer prodrug monotherapy and antibody-directed enzyme prodrug therapy. Additionally, it has been used to assess the role of glycosylthio heterocycles in carbohydrates.

1-O-Methyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside is a beta-D-galactopyranoside and a weak substrate. It is an effective inducer of beta-D-galctosidase and used in the metabolism of 2-deoxygalactose.

1-O-Methyl-β-D-glucuronic acid, sodium salt is an inducer of β-glucuronidase, a glycosidase enzyme coded by the GUS gene.

The GUS gene is the most extensively used reporter gene, particularly in plant biology because it offers the advantage of having no background activity.

β-glucuronidase also has an important role within human digestion because this enzyme is capable of deconjugating toxins within the body and releasing them back freely into the bloodstream. There is a positive relationship between higher levels of β-glucuronidase in the colon and increased cancer risk. However, β-glucuronidase, at certain levels, is necessary, and deficiencies can result in mucopolysaccharidosis type VII or Sly syndrome in newborns.

1-O-Methyl-β-D-glucopyranoside is commonly used to study the specificity of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae in removing carbohydrates by fermentation. Additionally, it has been used to analyze alternansucrase acceptor reactions with methyl hexopyranosides.

2,3,4,6-Tetra-O-benzyl-D-glucopyranose is used for glucosylation reactions and as a reagent for synthesis of 1-C-alpha-D-glucopyranose derivatives.

2,3,4,6-Tetra-O-benzyl-D-mannopyranose is used for glucosylation reactions and as a reagent for synthesis of 1-C-alpha-D-glucopyranose derivatives.