Indirubin is a potent cyclin-dependent kinases and GSK-3β inhibitor with IC50 of about 5 μM and 0.6 μM. Indirubin has anticancer, anti-inflammatory,antiviral,anti-allergic contact dermatitis effects. Each indirubin derivative acts on the DNA binding of NF-Y and represses the MDR1 gene promoter with tumor cell-type specificity.Indirubin derivatives have a potential to be used as an adjunct to antiviral therapy for the treatment of severe human H5N1 disease.

2'-deoxycytidine is a pyrimidine 2'-deoxyribonucleoside having cytosine as the nucleobase. It has a role as a mouse metabolite, a Saccharomyces cerevisiae metabolite, an Escherichia coli metabolite and a human metabolite. It is functionally related to a cytosine.

Catharanthine is an organic heteropentacyclic compound and monoterpenoid indole alkaloid produced by the medicinal plant Catharanthus roseus via strictosidine. It is a methyl ester, a bridged compound, an organic heteropentacyclic compound, an alkaloid ester, a tertiary amino compound and a monoterpenoid indole alkaloid. It is a conjugate base of a catharanthine(1+). Catharanthine inhibits nicotinic receptor mediated diaphragm contractions with IC50 of 59.6 μM, it dilates small mesenteric arteries and decreases heart rate and cardiac contractility by inhibition of voltage-operated calcium channels on vascular smooth muscle cells and cardiomyocytes.

Cephalomannine is a taxol derivative with antitumor, antiproliferative properties, it shows cytotoxicity in human glial and neuroblastoma cell-lines.

Omacetaxine mepesuccinate is a cephalotaxine-derived alkaloid ester obtained from Cephalotaxus harringtonia; used for the treatment of chronic or accelerated phase chronic myeloid leukaemia. It has a role as an anticoronaviral agent, an antineoplastic agent, a protein synthesis inhibitor and an apoptosis inducer. It is a tertiary alcohol, an organic heteropentacyclic compound, an alkaloid ester and an enol ether. It is functionally related to a cephalotaxine. Homoharringtonine, a plant alkaloid with antitumor and antileukemic properties, inhibit protein translation by preventing the initial elongation step of protein synthesis via an interaction with the ribosomal A-site. Homoharringtonine might have clinical activity in some patients with myelodysplastic syndrome.