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.
Xanthoxyletin shows potent antibacterial, fungicidal, and algicidal properties, it also has anticancer, and anti-inflammatory activities. It shows an inhibitory effect on iNOS protein expression at 10 microM, it also can inhibit the synthesis of nitric oxide and the protein expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and cyclooxygenase-2. Xanthoxyletin induces S phase arrest and apoptosis in human gastric adenocarcinoma SGC-7901 cells, the effects are associated with the DNA damage, apoptosis through mitochondrial dysfunction, and cell cycle arrest at S phase in a dose-dependent manner, it also can increase the production of reactive oxygen species.