SBHA is a competitive histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor that has been shown to inhibit HDAC1 (IC₅₀ = 0.25 μM) and HDAC3 (IC₅₀ = 0.30 μM). SBHA causes cell differentiation, cell cycle arrest, or apoptosis. SBHA also enhances cytotoxicity induced by Oxaliplatin in the colorectal cancer cell lines.