Conophylline is a vinca alkaloid extracted from leaves of a tropical plant Ervatamia microphylla. Conophylline is a differentiation inducer of for pancreatic cells. Conophylline suppresses HSC and induces apoptosis[1][2].

Conophylline (100 ng/ml; 48 hours) reproduces differentiationinducing activity but not apoptosis-inducing activity of activin[1].Conophylline (100 ng/ml; 72 hours) exhibits the differentiation-inducing activity in AR42J cells and converts these cells to endocrine cells[1].Conophylline increases the expression of neurogenin-3 by activating p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase to induce differentiation of AR42J cells[1].Conophylline reduces the expression of α-SMA and collagen-1 in rat HSC and Lx-2 cells[2].Conophylline inhibits DNA synthesis induced by serum[2].Conophylline also promots activation of caspase-3 and induces apoptosis in Lx-2 Cells[2].

Conophylline (0.9 mg/kg; p.o.; daily; for 12 weeks) attenuates formation of the liver fibrosis induced by TAA in vivo[2].

[1]. Kojima I, et al. Conophylline: a novel differentiation inducer for pancreatic beta cells. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2006;38(5-6):923-30.
[2]. Kubo N, et al. Conophylline suppresses hepatic stellate cells and attenuates thioacetamide-induced liver fibrosis in rats. Liver Int. 2014 Aug;34(7):1057-67.