Higenamine (HG) is a well-known selective activator of beta2-adrenergic receptor (β2-AR) with a positive inotropic effect. HG exerts an antispasmodic effect on cold-induced vasoconstriction by regulating the PI3K/Akt, ROS/α2C-AR and PTK9 pathways independently of the AMPK/eNOS/NO axis, it reduces HMGB1 during hypoxia-induced brain injury by induction of heme oxygenase-1 through PI3K/Akt/Nrf-2 signal pathways. HG enhances the antitumor effects of cucurbitacin B in breast cancer by inhibiting the interaction of AKT and CDK2. It attenuated LPS-induced depression-like behavior by regulating BDNF-mediated ER stress and autophagy. (RS)-norcoclaurine is a norcoclaurine. It is a conjugate base of a (RS)-norcoclaurinium.

Anisodamine, an anticholinergic drug, has antishock effect, which is intimately linked to alpha7nAChR-dependent anti-inflammatory pathway. Anisodamine demonstrates a direct cardiac depressive action at the myocyte level, which may be related to, at least in part, NO production and cholinoceptor antagonism, it causes the changes of structure and function in the transmembrane domain of the Ca(2+)-ATPase from sarcoplasmic reticulum. Anisodamine, a vasoactive drug, can abate endogenous endotoxaemia subsequent to splanchnic vasoconstriction due to hypovolaemia, it alleviates inflammatory damage by significantly reducing the expressions of VEGF and ICAM-1, and shows significant protective effects in an animal model of infusion phlebitis. Anisodamine also inhibits shiga toxin type 2-mediated tumor necrosis factor-alpha production in vitro and in vivo. Scopolamine is a non subtype selective muscarinic and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist. Scopolamine is used in traditional Chinese medicine research for various diseases, mainly for improving microcirculation in shock state, and can also be used for organophosphate poisoning.

Hypaconine is a diterpene alkaloid with formula C24H39NO8, originally isolated from Aconitum carmichaeli. It has a role as a xenobiotic, a plant metabolite and a human urinary metabolite. It is a diterpene alkaloid, a tertiary alcohol, a tetrol, a secondary alcohol, a bridged compound, an organic heteropolycyclic compound, a polyether and a tertiary amino compound. It derives from a hydride of an aconitane.

Periplogenin plays protective roles against thyrotoxicosis and associated cardiovascular problems, are mediated through its direct antithyroidal and/or LPO inhibiting properties. Periplogenin induces necroptotic cell death through oxidative stress in HaCaT cells and ameliorates skin lesions in the TPA- and IMQ-induced psoriasis-like mouse models.

Bufogenin is a steroid lactone of Chan su (toad venom), a Chinese medicine obtained from the skin venom gland of toads. A specific Na/K-ATPase protein inhibitor, it is used as a cardiotonic and central nervous system (CNS) respiratory agent, an analgesic and anesthetic, and as a remedy for ulcers. It has a role as an EC 3.6.3.9 (Na(+)/K(+)-transporting ATPase) inhibitor. It is an epoxy steroid and a steroid lactone. It is functionally related to a bufanolide.

Saikosaponin I shows strong inhibition activity against influenza virus WSN33.

Ranaconitine has cardiotoxicity.

Reticuline is a key compound in the biosynthetic pathway for isoquinoline alkaloids in plants, which include morphine, codeine and berberine. Reticuline possesses potent central nervous system depressant action, it (50-100 mg/kg i.p.) can produce alteration of behaviour pattern, prolongation of pentobarbital-induced sleep, reduction in motor coordination and D-amphetamine-induced hypermotility and suppression of the conditioned avoidance response. (S)-Reticuline can elicit vasorelaxation probably due to the blockade of the L-type voltage-dependent Ca(2+) current in rat aorta, the effect may contribute to the potential cardioprotective efficacy of (S)-reticuline. (S)-reticuline is the (S)-enantiomer of reticuline. It has a role as an EC 2.1.1.116 [3'-hydroxy-N-methyl-(S)-coclaurine 4'-O-methyltransferase] inhibitor. It is a conjugate base of a (S)-reticulinium(1+). It is an enantiomer of a (R)-reticuline.

Pseudobufarenogin(ψ-bufarenogin), a novel anti-tumor compound, suppresses liver cancer growth by inhibiting receptor tyrosine kinase-mediated signaling. ψ-Bufarenogin shows inhibition of human kidney Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity.