Ellipticine tartrate is a DNA intercalating agent and a DNA topoisomerase II inhibitor.

Ellipticine hydrochloride (NSC-71795 (hydrochloride)) is a potent antineoplastic agent; inhibits DNA topoisomerase II activities.

Ellipticine quinone, also known as NSC-383230, is a Drp1 inhibitor. rpitor1 and Drpitor1a inhibited the GTPase activity of Drp1 without inhibiting the GTPase of dynamin 1. Ellipticine quinone showed greater potency than the current std. Drp1 GTPase inhibitor, mdivi-1, (IC50 for mitochondrial fragmentation are (0.06, and 10 μM, resp.). Ellipticine quinone suppressed lung cancer tumor growth in a mouse xenograft model. Ellipticine quinone also inhibited mitochondrial ROS prodn., prevented mitochondrial fission, and improved right ventricular diastolic dysfunction during IR injury.

Ellipticine (Elliptisine) is a potent antineoplastic agent exhibiting multiple mechanisms of action, IC50 of 0.67±0.06, 1.25±0.13, 1.25±0.13, 0.67±0.06, 0.27±0.02, 0.49±0.04, 0.44±0.03, and 1.48±0.62 μM for Leukemia HL-60, Breast adenocarcinoma MCF-7, Breast adenocarcinoma MCF-7, Leukemia HL-60, Neuroblastoma IMR-32, Neuroblastoma UKF-NB-4, Neuroblastoma UKF-NB-3, and Glioblastoma U87 mg cell, respectively.