Coptisine chloride is an efficient uncompetitive IDO inhibitor with a Ki value of 5.8 μM and an IC50 value of 6.3 μM. Coptisine (0.1-100 μM) inhibits the proliferation of A549, H460, H2170, MDA-MB-231 and HT-29 cells, with IC50s of 18.09, 29.50, 21.60, 20.15 and 26.60 µM, respectively. Coptisine (12.5, 25, 50 μM) upregulates the expression of pH2AX and p21, reduces expression of cyclin B1, cdc2, and cdc25C, and induces G2/M arrest and apoptosis of A549 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Coptisine (12.5, 25, 50 μM) also induces mitochondrial dysfunction and activates caspases activities in A549 cells. Furthermore, Coptisine (50 μM) increases ROS levels in a time-dependent manner (0.5, 1, 2, 4, 12, and 24 h).