9-Ethoxychelerythrine serves as a chemical reference standard for the quality control of traditional Chinese herbal medicines derived from species such as Zanthoxylum nitidum. Beyond its analytical applications, emerging studies indicate that this compound may exert notable biological effects, including the ability to induce mitochondrial apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells. This mechanistic insight highlights its potential value as a preliminary lead structure for oncology research, particularly in investigations focused on programmed cell death pathways and natural-product-based anticancer agents.