Design, synthesis and anti-gastric carcinoma activity of 1-styryl isoquinoline derivatives

•A series of 1-styryl isoquinoline compounds were synthesized by a simple intramolecular nucleophilic addition elimination reaction.•compounds 14 and 20 inhibited proliferation, induced apoptosis, caused cell cycle arrest, suppressed migration and invasion of gastric cell lines.•compounds 14 and 20 could obviously regulated the cell apoptosis-related proteins.