OBJECTIVETo isolate and elucidate the chemical constituents of the whole plant of Vernonia patula, and to provide samples for biological activity screening.

METHODThe chromatography on silica gel was used and the structures were determined by IR, NMR and MS spectra analysis and physicochemical property comparion.

RESULTFour triterpenoids were isolated and identified as bauerenyl acetate(I), friedelin(II), epifriedelanol(III), 20(30)-taraxastene-3 beta, 21 alpha-diol(IV).

CONCLUSIONCompounds I and IV were isolated from genus Vernonia for the first time and compounds II and III were isolated from the whole plant of V. patula for the first time. The four compounds show no inhibitory effect on the growing of PC-12 cells.