β-Carboline-1-carboxylic acid is an alkaloid that has been found in P. quassioides and has diverse biological activities. It reduces LPS-induced increases in MCP-1, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β levels in RAW 264.7 cells when used at a concentration of 15 µg/ml and inhibits the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) induced by TGF-β1 in A549 cells. β-Carboline-1-carboxylic acid induces cytotoxicity in CT26.WT, K562, and SGC-7901 cells (IC50s = 14.96, 22.11, and 19.7 µg/ml, respectively) but not HepG2 or A549 cells (IC50s = 36.41 and 41.51 µg/ml, respectively). It also inhibits cAMP phosphodiesterase with an IC50 value of 96 µM.
Aphagranin A exhibits strong antiproliferative activity against the growth of six lines of human cancer cells (MCF-7, A549, HepG2, Bel-7402, SGC-7901, and BGC-823.
Cyclocommunol exhibits cytotoxicity against hepatocellular carcinoma (SMMC-7721) and gastric carcinoma (BGC-823 and SGC-7901) cell lines. It also shows strong inhibition of arachidonic acid (AA)- and collagen-induced platelet aggregation.
Hydroxytanshinone ⅡA has good antiproliferative effect on SGC-7901,HeLa, and HepG 2 cell, the values of IC50 are 4.18, 6.08 and10.20 uM, respectively; it has tumor cell proliferation inhibition significantly stronger than the tanshinoneⅡA.