Corydine is the adrenolytic and weak cholinergic agent, it shows antimicrobial, and antineoplastic activities. Corydine shows irritant and respiratory stimulant and CNS depressant activities. Injected intravenously in rabbits corydine produced an initial fall in blood pressure followed by a return to normal or above normal.

Bevirimat is a pentacyclic triterpenoid obtained by the formal condensation of 2,2-dimethylsuccinic acid with the 3-hydroxy group of betulinic acid. It is isolated from the Chinese herb Syzygium claviflorum. The first in the class of HIV-1 maturation inhibitors to be studied in humans, bevirimat was identified as a potent HIV drug candidate and several clinical trials were conducted, but development into a new drug was plagued by numerous resistance-related problems.

Wilfortrine can induce liver cancer cell HepG2 apoptosis, but with no effect on the cell cycle, mainly by promoting Bax expression and inhibiting anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 expression. The combined treatment using wilfortrine and paclitaxel can inhibit proliferation and invasion of liver cancer cells via down-regulating Bcl-2 and up-regulating Bax, with better efficacy than single use of either drug. Wilfortrine and euonine (40.80 mg/(kg.d) x 4d ip) show marked depressant effects on humoral mediated immunity using the hemolysin reaction as indices.

Fangchinoline is a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid that is (1beta)- berbaman which has been substituted by methyl groups at the 2 and 2' positions, by methoxy groups at the 6, 6', and 12 positions, and by a hydroxy group at position 7. Isolated from Stephania tetrandra, it has been found to possess neuroprotective and anti-tumour activity. It has a role as an antioxidant, an antineoplastic agent, a neuroprotective agent, an anti-HIV-1 agent, an anti-inflammatory agent and a plant metabolite.