Vanillin is mainly used as a flavouring agent, primarily in foods and beverages such as chocolate and dairy products, but also to mask unpleasant tastes in medicines or livestock fodder.

6-Hydroxyindole is a reactant for asymmetrical synthesis of notoamide J as a potential biosynthetic precursor of prenylated indole alkaloids and for preparation of indoleoxyacetic acid derivatives as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor agonists.

Protopine has antiplatelet effects,which is due to inhibition on thromboxane formation and phosphoinositides breakdown and then lead to the decrease of intracellular calcium concentration.