Veratridine (VTD), an alkaloid derived from the Liliaceae plant shows anti-tumor effects. Veratridine is also an agent that opens voltage dependent Na+ channels, blocks Na+ channel activation, and induces Ca2+ influx. The compound has been observed to be an alkaloid neurotoxin used to amplify sodium permeability. Studies report that Veratridine can trigger exocytosis and induce Ca2+ oscillations. Furthermore, Veratridine has been shown to effect the mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes, induce release of noradrenaline, and increase superoxide anion production. Veratridine competes with BTX binding in a mutually exclusive manner. However, the pharmacological effects of veratridine on Na+ channels are quite different from those of BTX. First, veratridine reduces the single Na+ channel conductance drastically whereas BTX does not. Veratridine therefore is regarded as a partial agonist and BTX as a full agonist of Na+ channels. Second, under voltage clamp conditions BTX binds practically irreversibly to Na+ channels whereas veratridine readily dissociates from its binding site. Both of these drugs, however, bind preferentially to the open state of Na+ channels. The BTX resistant Na+ channels in Phyllobates frogs remain sensitive to veratridine. The ceveratrum alkaloids, including Veratridine, have a characteristic hypotensive effect not directly involving the CNS. They slow the heart and lower arterial blood pressure by reflexly stimulating medullary vasomotor centers without decreasing cardiac output (Bezold–Jarisch effect). These agents were introduced in the 1950s as antihypertensive agents; however, they were found to have a narrow therapeutic index and their use was discontinued.

Naftopidil,(R)- is an enantiomer of Naftopidil (NAF), a specific subtype selective α1-adrenoceptor blocker. Racemic Naftopidil is frequently used for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hyperplasia. No significant differences in pharmacokinetic parameters were observed between R(+)- and S(−)-NAF after intravenous administration. However, mean plasma concentrations of S(−)-NAF were higher than those of R(+)-NAF after intragastric administration. S(−)-NAF reached higher plasma concentrations within shorter times and achieved lower plasma CL within 24 h than R(+)-NAF. S(−)-NAF bioavailability in rats was consistently about two-fold higher than that of R(+)-NAF. The major pathways of S(−)-NAF metabolism in vitro were demethylation and hydroxylation. CYP2C9 played the most important role in the demethylation and hydroxylation of both NAF enantiomers.

Naftopidil,(R)- is an enantiomer of Naftopidil (NAF), a specific subtype selective α1-adrenoceptor blocker. Racemic Naftopidil is frequently used for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hyperplasia. No significant differences in pharmacokinetic parameters were observed between R(+)- and S(−)-NAF after intravenous administration. However, mean plasma concentrations of R(+)-NAF were lower than those of S(-)-NAF after intragastric administration. R(+)-NAF bioavailability in rats was consistently about two-fold lower than that of S(-)-NAF. The fractions of R(+)- NAF reaching the prostate and metabolized in the liver were higher than those of S(−)-NAF. The major pathways of R(+)- NAF metabolism in vitro were demethylation and hydroxylation. CYP2C9 played the most important role in the demethylation and hydroxylation of both NAF enantiomers. CYP2C19 was another CYP isoform that played a major role in R(+)-NAF metabolism.