Gelsevirine is primarily used in scientific research due to its complex alkaloid structure and biological activity. It serves as a reference compound in neuropharmacological studies, particularly for investigating interactions with ion channels and neurotransmitter receptors. Its structural features make it valuable in the development of synthetic methodologies for indole alkaloids. Due to its toxicity, it is not used in clinical or therapeutic settings, but it aids in understanding cellular toxicity mechanisms and structure-activity relationships in natural products.