N-Methylcytisine's nicotinic receptors have high affinity (KD = 50 nM)to nAChR from squid optical ganglia, N-methylcytisine is a selective ligand of nicotinic receptors of acetylcholine in the central nervous system. (−)-N-methylcytisine and (−)-anagyrine have nematicidal activity against pine wood nematodes.

Mitraphylline has antiproliferative effects on human glioma and neuroblastoma cell lines. It also has anti-inflammatory activity, it inhibits lipopolysaccharide-mediated activation of primary human neutrophils.