Bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids from Stephania cepharantha and their effects on proliferation of cultured cells from the murine hair apparatus.

Bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids were isolated from Stephania cepharantha Hayata and their proliferative activities on cultured hair cells from the murine skin were evaluated. Cepharanthine (1), cepharanoline (9), isotetrandrine (2), and berbamine (7) showed significant activities in the range of 0.01-0.1 microgram/ml, but had no activity on cultured keratinocytes or fibroblasts from the murine skin.