a-Isosparteine was originally isolated from Cytisus scoparius. It was isolated from two other legumes, Lupinus caudatus Kell. and Genista tinctoria L. a-Isosparteine exhibits basically the same action as does (-)-sparteine but possesses a more rapid onset and a shorter duration when compared using rat myocardial tissue. male Sprague-Dawley rats were found to metabolize sparteine and a-isosparteine to lupanine and alpha-isolupanine respectively in vivo. a-Isosparteine elicits intense interest because of its deployment as uniquely effective chiral ligand in a wide variety of metal-mediated enantioselective synthetic methods.

Ergocryptinine is the ergot alkaloid. Ergotaminine, ergocryptinine, ergosinine and ergocorninine show vasoconstrictory effect, i.e. they cause the contraction of smooth muscles of blood vessels. Ergocryptinine shortened the duration of arrhythmia induced by adrenalin in rats. Ergocryptinine, ergocristinine and ergocorninine can be used in the treatment of arterial hypertension, heart insufficiency, heart arrhythmia and cephalalgia.