One of these, dendrobine, has long been used in Chinese medicines. Dendrobine lowers blood pressure and has weak antipyretic and analgesic action. They are found in Nuphar and Nymphaea species, but also in beaver Castor fiber scent glands. The beavers probably acquire the alkaloids from plants that they eat. These are related families.
Examples are alkaloids like evonine, maytoline, maytine, and hippocrateine.
One plant, cancerina, Hippocratea excelsa contains alkaloids of this series that are active as antitumor compounds. Similar sesquiterpene alkaloids are found in khat, Catha edulis , of the Celastraceae. However, the active compounds are related to ephedrine in structure. A number of other sesquiterpenoid alkaloids have structures that appear to have had a nitrogen inserted, but otherwise resemble sesquiterpenes. Diterpene alkaloids derived from kaurene Diterpene alkaloids derived from kaurene are found in several families.