Medicarpin, is a pterocarpan-type phytoalexin which is also classified as methoxylated isoflavonoid and is one of the major constituents of dietary legumes. Medicarpin is present in chickpea (Cicer arietinum), peanut (Arachis hypogaea), alfalfa (Medicago sativa), red clover (Trifolium pratense) and in an Indian medicinal plant Butea monosperma. Medicarpin, a legume phytoalexin has excellent oral bioavailability and potent antiproliferative activity against breast cancer and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. Medicarpin also inhibits the oncogenic NF-kB signaling by attenuating the TNF-α-induced nuclear translocation of p65. Medicarpin stimulates osteoblast differentiation likely via estrogen receptor (ER) beta, promotes achievement of peak bone mass. Medicarpin inhibits ER stress-induced apoptosis and promotes osteoblast cell survival by targeting GRP78. Medicarpin was isolated as nematicidal constituent from the extract Taverniera abyssinica A.

Alpha (α)-tomatine (simply tomatine) is the major saponin and occurs naturally in tomatoes, possesses a variety of biological properties including antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory. In additıon, tomatine is also known that it breaks down the cell membrane induces growth inhibition and apoptosis in different cancer cells: myeloid leukemia cells; prostate cancer cells; lung adenocarcinoma cells. However, the mechanisms of α-tomatine actions were not well understood. Nevertheless, was shown, that tomatine inhibited the NF-κB and phosphatidyl-inositol-3-kinase/Akt signaling pathways activation. However, the primary cellular target(s) for α-tomatine and its mechanisms for modulating apoptosis-associated pathways remain to be elucidated. The interaction of α-tomatine with cholesterol and the disruptive effect on the cell membrane may be one of the mechanisms by which α-tomatine induces apoptosis. The formation of complexes of α-tomatine and cholesterol may modulate the responsiveness of cell membrane receptors to growth stimuli and thus decrease the growth of cancer cells. Moreover, the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of α-tomatine, which may be a valuable therapeutic agent in the treatment of inflammation-related diseases was due to the ability of tomatine accelerated the phosphorylation of Akt in macrophages.

Peruvoside, main component of neriperside, a tevetoside extracted from Thevitia neriifolia Juss, cardiac glycoside, is used for the treatment of heart failure. It is Na+, K(+)-ATPase inhibitor. Peruvoside also demonstrates anti-cancer activities. Peruvoside inhibited cell growth in androgen-resistant LNCaP-abl prostate at 50 nM, lower than the concentrations required by both Digoxin and Strophanthidin (500 nM), suggesting that it may be a more potent anti-cancer candidate that other CGs. Peruvoside induced apoptotic cell death in human primitive AML KG1a cells and chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) cell K562.