Histamine release inhibition activity of bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids.

Eleven examples of bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids (head-to-head; 10, head-to-tail; 1) and one half molecule type (N-methylcoclaurine), were tested by in vitro histamine release inhibition assay. The order of the potency of the inhibitory effect was ranked thus: homoaromoline, aromoline, isotetrandrine, cepharanthine, fangchinoline, obaberine, and tetrandrine. The following substances, cepharanoline, berbamine, oxyacanthine, and cycleanine (head-to-tail structure) had no inhibitory effect. N-Methylcoclaurine showed an inhibitory effect comparable to that of fangchinoline.