Naphthylisoquinoline alkaloids, named ancistectorine A(1), N-methylancistectorine A(1), ancistectorine A(2), 5-epi-ancistectorine A(2), ancistectorine A(3), ancistectorine B-1, and ancistectorine C-1, have been isolated from twigs of the Chinese plant Ancistrocladus tectorius. The structural elucidation succeeded by chemical, spectroscopic, and chiroptical methods. Three of these compounds exhibited excellent, and specific, anti-plasmodial activities, comparable with that of the as yet most active representative, dioncophylline C. Moreover, the antitumoral activities of two of the main alkaloids in this species was tested. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.