(+)-Galanthamine is an alkaloid benzazepine derived from norbelladine. In contrast to the (-)-Galanthamine, (+)-Galanthamine demonstrates substantially lower biological activity.

Dihydrotanshinone I (DHI), a diterpenoid first isolated from the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza, is a relatively high affinity inhibitor of human AChE. Dihydrotanshinone I (10 and 25 mg/kg) significantly attenuates atherosclerotic plaque formation, alteres serum lipid profile, decreases oxidative stress and shrinks necrotic core areas in ApoE-/- mice. Dihydrotanshinone I dramatically inhibits the enhanced expression of LOX-1, NOX4, and NF-κB in aorta. Dihydrotanshinone I treatment can improve cardiac function, reduce infarct size, ameliorate the variations in myocardial zymogram and histopathological disorders, decrease 20-HETE generation, and regulate apoptosis-related protein in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion rats.

Cryptotanshinone is one of the major tanshinones isolated from the roots of the plant Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Danshen). Danshen has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of a variety of diseases, including coronary artery disease, acute ischemic stroke, hyperlipidemia, chronic renal failure, chronic hepatitis, and Alzheimer's disease, showing no serious adverse effects. Recent studies have shown that cryptotanshinone not only possesses the potential for treatment and prevention of the above-mentioned diseases, but also is a potent anticancer agent. In vitro studies have demonstrated that cryptotanshinone inhibits cell proliferation in a variety of cancer cell lines, including rhabdomyosarcoma, melanoma, cervical, colon, breast and prostate cancer cells. It has been described that cryptotanshinone induced a G1/G0 cell cycle arrest in rhabdomyosarcoma (Rh30) and prostate cancer (DU145) cells by downregulating expression of cyclin D1 and phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein (Rb), but induced a G2/ M cell cycle arrest in melanoma (B16) cells via upregulating expression of Cdc25c, cyclin A1 and cyclin B1. Cryptotanshinone inhibiting expression of Aurora A kinase led to significant suppression of prostate cancer cells in vitro and in mice. Cryptotanshinone also induces cell death in cancer cells.

Genipin 1-beta-gentiobioside, an iridoid glucoside, is one of the major components in gardenia fruit (“Zhizi” in Chinese) that constitutes several edible pigments. Genipin 1-beta-gentiobioside is also widely applied in many classical compound prescriptions for thousand years in Asia, such as Zhizi-Dahuang decoction for reducing icterus and relaxing bowels, Zhizi-Chi decoction for depression treatment, and Yinchen-Hao decoction for the therapies on jaundice with damp-heat pathogen. As one of the major pharmacodynamic substances, Genipin 1-beta-gentiobioside has valuable biological activities, such as resisting heart failure induced by pentobarbital sodium through enhancing heart inotropy and lowering the preload of heart; attenuating melanogenesis, and releasing cytotoxicities. Moreover, Genipin 1-beta-gentiobioside is also a promising candidate for the treatment of memory dysfunction because of its excellent anti-acetylcholine activity in vitro and antiamnesic effect via increasing the acetylcholine levels in brain.