Aconitine is a diterpenoid that is 20-ethyl-3alpha,13,15alpha-trihydroxy-1alpha,6alpha,16beta-trimethoxy-4-(methoxymethyl)aconitane-8,14alpha-diol having acetate and benzoate groups at the 8- and 14-positions respectively. It is functionally related to an aconitane. Aconitine, one of the major Aconitum alkaloids, is a highly toxic compound from the Aconitum species, it appears to exert a long-lasting cholinergic action in the causation of severe arrhythmias leading to death.

Bufalin a major digoxin-like immunoreactive component of the Chinese medicine Chan Su; has been shown to exert a potential for anticancer activity against various human cancer cell lines in vitro. Bufalin is a potent small-molecule inhibitor of the steroid receptor coactivators steroid receptor coactivator (SRC)-3 and SRC-1, it also as a potentially broad-spectrum small-molecule inhibitor for cancer. Bufalin can partly reverse the MDR of K562/VCR cells, with a possible mechanism of down-regulating MRP1 expression and activating apoptosis pathway by altering Bcl-xL/Bax ratio. Bufalin is a 14beta-hydroxy steroid that is bufan-20,22-dienolide having hydroxy substituents at the 5beta- and 14beta-positions. It has been isolated from the skin of the toad Bufo bufo. It has a role as an antineoplastic agent, a cardiotonic drug, an anti-inflammatory agent and an animal metabolite. It is a 3beta-hydroxy steroid and a 14beta-hydroxy steroid. It is functionally related to a bufanolide.

The cardiac glycosides digitoxin and digoxin have been used in cardiac diseases for many years, digitoxin also has growth inhibition activity in three human cancer cell line, digitoxin activates pro-apoptotic, anti-proliferative signaling cascades and cell cycle arrest. Digitoxin could as a candidate drug for suppressing IL-8-dependent lung inflammation in cystic fibrosis (CF), it can suppress hypersecretion of IL-8 from cultured cystic fibrosis (CF) lung epithelial cells, the specific mechanism is to block phosphorylation of the inhibitor of NF-kappa.Digitoxin actively inhibits Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) replication with a 50% effective concentration (EC(50)) of 0.05 microM, the inhibitory effects of digitoxin are likely to be introduced at the early stage of HSV-1 replication and the virus release stage. Digitoxin is a cardenolide glycoside in which the 3beta-hydroxy group of digitoxigenin carries a 2,6-dideoxy-beta-D-ribo-hexopyranosyl-(14)-2,6-dideoxy-beta-D-ribo-hexopyranosyl-(14)-2,6-dideoxy-beta-D-ribo-hexopyranosyl trisaccharide chain. It has a role as an EC 3.6.3.9 (Na(+)/K(+)-transporting ATPase) inhibitor. It is functionally related to a digitoxigenin. It is a conjugate acid of a digitoxin(1-).

Corypalmine (IC50=128.0±10.5 uM) can inhibit prolyl oligopeptidase. (-)-Corypalmine shows inhibition activity against spore germination of some fungi.

Talatisamine is a newly identified K+ channel blocker with hypotensive and antiarrhythmic activities. Talatisamine (120 μM) and TEA (5mM) inhibits the enhanced I(K) caused by Aβ40 oligomers, attenuates cytotoxicity of Aβ oligomers by restoring cell viability and suppressing K(+) loss related apoptotic response.

Digoxin is a cardenolide glycoside that is digitoxin beta-hydroxylated at C-12. A cardiac glycoside extracted from the foxglove plant, Digitalis lanata, it is used to control ventricular rate in atrial fibrillation and in the management of congestive heart failure with atrial fibrillation, but the margin between toxic and therapeutic doses is small. It has a role as an anti-arrhythmia drug, a cardiotonic drug, an epitope and an EC 3.6.3.9 (Na(+)/K(+)-transporting ATPase) inhibitor. Digoxin is a classical Na,K-ATPase inhibitor, with selectivity for the α2β3 isoform over the common α1β1 isoform, used in the treatment of atrial fibrillation and heart failure. Digoxin and other cardiac glycosides can inhibit hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1)α synthesis and block tumor growth.

Nardoaristolone B, a nor-sesquiterpenoid with an unusual fused ring system and having protective effects on the injury of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. The novel mosquito-repellentsynthetic hydrindanesbased on noreremophilanes and nardoaristolone B which show increasedactivity against adult females of Aedes aegypti.

Evocarpine shows antimycobacterial, and vasorelaxant effects, it can inhibit Ca2+ influx through voltage-dependent calcium channels.

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.

10-Gingerol is a monomethoxybenzene, a member of phenols and a beta-hydroxy ketone. 10-Gingerol is an AMPK agonist found in fresh ginger rhizome oil resin, with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti proliferative activities. 10-Gingerol inhibits neointimal hyperplasia and suppresses the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells. The IC50 value of 10-Gingerol for DPPH radical scavenging activity is 10.47 μ M, for superoxide radical scavenging activity is 1.68 μ M, and for hydroxyl radical scavenging activity is 1.35 μ M. 10 Gingerol has an inhibitory effect on the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 tumor cell line, with an IC50 value of 12.1 μ M. 10-Gingerol inhibits proliferation, migration, invasion, and induces apoptosis by targeting the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in MDA-MB-231/IR cells. 10-Gingerol is expected to be used in research on ulcerative colitis. 10-Gingerol has anti-cancer, anti-neuroinflammatory, and anti-bacterial effects, it effectively inhibits the growth of the oral pathogens, and inhibits exogenous ghrelin deacylation.10-Gingerol induces [Ca2+]i rise by causing Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum and Ca2+ influx from non-L-type Ca2+ channels in SW480 cancer cells.10-Gingerol-induced apoptosis was accompanied by phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPKs) family, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), p38 MAPK (p38), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK).

Ranaconitine has cardiotoxicity.

Lapachol is a hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone that is 1,4-naphthoquinone substituted by hydroxy and 3-methylbut-2-en-1-yl groups at positions 2 and 3, respectively. It is a natural compound that exhibits antibacterial and anticancer properties, first isolated in 1882 from the bark of Tabebuia avellanedae. It has a role as an antibacterial agent, an antineoplastic agent, an anti-inflammatory agent and a plant metabolite. It is a hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone and an olefinic compound. Lapachol shows both antimicrobial, trypanocidal and antiviral activities, it also shows antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro and Plasmodium berghei in vivo. Probiotics are capable of converting Lapachol into the most effective cytotoxic compound against a breast cancer cell line.

Carboxyatractyloside poisoning causes multiple organ dysfunction and can be fatal, the signs of a poor prognosis including coagulation abnormalities, hyponatraemia, marked hypoglycaemia, icterus and hepatic and renal failure, without antidote. Carboxyatractyloside can induce permeability transition, and that ageing induced mitochondrial DNA disruption and release of cytochrome c; it induces the inhibitory effect of tamoxifen on nonspecific membrane permeability.

Bullatine G is a kaurane diterpenoid.

Rhodojaponin V is a natural product from Rhododendron molle G. Don.

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.