Verticinone is a major alkaloid isolated from the bulbus of Fritillaria ussuriensis. Verticinone was rapidly absorbed, widely distributed in most tissues, and metabolized extensively before excretion. Verticinone has antitumor effects - treatment with verticinone can induce cancer cell apoptosis and autophagy via modulating the production of metabolites, which are supportive of carcinoma cell proliferation. Due to the potent antitussive activity and no addictive effect, verticinone seems to be a promising potential antitussive drug. Verticinone is expected to become a potentially novel sedative-analgesic agent without producing tolerance and dependence.

Crocetin gentiobiosylglucosyl ester (Crocin II) is extracted from saffron (Crocus sativus L.). Tricrocin is a water soluble crocetin glycoside, a carotenoid pigment of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) that has been used as a spice for flavoring and coloring food preparations, and in Chinese traditional medicine as an anodyne or tranquilizer. Saffron is now used worldwide in folk medicine and is reputed to be useful in treating various human disorders such as heart and blood disorders. Stroke and heart attack are involved in reputed folkloric uses of saffron. Saffron is orally administrated as a decoction. Saffron extract exerts a protective effect on renal ischemia reperfusion induced oxidative damage in rats; Crocetin esters present in saffron stigmas and in Gardenia jasminoides Ellis fruit are the compounds responsible for their color. Crocin, in general term, includes Crocin-I (Crocetin-di-beta -D-gentiobiosyl ester), Crocin-II (Crocetin-beta-D-gentiobiosyl-beta-D-glucosyl ester), Crocin-III (Crocetin-mono-beta-D-gentiobiosyl ester), Crocin-IV (beta-D-monoglucoside ester of monomethyl alpha-crocetin). Saffron from Zhejiang (containing 21.15 ug/ml of Crocetin gentiobiosylglucosyl ester) has significant antitumor effects in vitro and in vivo through caspase-8-caspase-9-caspase-3 mediated cell apoptosis. It thus appears to have a potential as a therapeutic agent.

Bufotalin is a cardiotoxic bufanolide steroid, cardiac glycoside analogue, secreted by a number of toad species; a novel anti-osteoblastoma agent. Bufotalin is a traditional Chinese medicine prepared from the dried secretion of the auricular and skin glands of Bufo bufo gargarizans Cantor. Bufotalin has drawn attentions from both cancer biologists and oncologists due to its dramatic antitumor activities. It has been shown that bufotalin inhibits cancer cell growth and induces cancer cell apoptosis in vivo and in vitro.

Isovitexin (apigenin-6-C-glucoside), an isomer of vitexin, is found in plants such as pigeon pea, Passiflora, bamboo, mimosa, wheat leaves, rice hull of Oryza sativa and others. Isovitexin is poorly absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. The highest level of intravenously administrated isovitexin was examined in kidney, liver, lung, and lowest in the brain. Isovitexin helps to stimulate apoptotic cell death and autophagy of various cancer cells through the upstream regulation of Bax, PARP, p-JNK, and MAPK and the downstream regulation of the caspases Bcl-2 and ERK1/2. Isovitexin has been proved to have various activities, such as anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-Alzheimer's disease and others.

Pifithrin-alpha is a small molecule p53 functional inhibitor reported to behave like an antiapoptotic agent in neurodegenerative models. Pifithrin-alpha is a prodrug that under physiological conditions spontaneously undergoes ring closure to yield pifithrin-beta. Pifithrin-beta demonstrated antiproliferative and neuroprotective effects in vitro. Pifithrin-beta is able to activate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in a complete independent way of the p53 inhibition.

Calactin and calotropin were the major cardenolides in Danaus plexippus reared on A. fruticosa or A. curassavica. It was discovered, that calactin could be potential anticancer compound that was supported for human leukemia cells. It was shown, that calactin decreased the expression of cell cycle regulatory proteins Cyclin B1, Cdk1, and Cdc25C was consistent with a G2/M phase arrest. Furthermore, calactin induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation, activation of caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9, and PARP cleavage.