Crude preparations of Stephania tetrandra S. MOORE (ST), a traditional herbal medicine, have been used safely for arthritis and silicosis in China. In this study, we demonstrated that ST in vitro protects red blood cells from 2,2-azo-bis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH)-induced hemolysis.
From the quaternary alkaloidal fraction of the dried tubers of Stephania cepharantha, two new isoquinoline alkaloids, stecepharine and tetradehydroreticuline have been isolated along with the known compounds, magnoflorine, menisperine, steponine, cyclanoline, oblongine, cis-N-methylcapaurine and
Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors have lately gained interest as potential drugs in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Three AChE inhibitors were isolated from tubers of a Thai medicinal plant, Stephania venosa (Bl) Spreng. They were identified as quaternary protoberberine alkaloids,