BACKGROUND
Recently, we reported that the crude fractions and pure triterpenes; ursolic acid (C1), 27-E and 27-Z p-coumaric esters of ursolic acid (C2, C3), together with a new triterpene 2,3-seco-taraxer-14-en-2,3-lactone [pycanocarpine (C4)] and its hydrolysed derivative -
Three known triterpenoids, namely ursolic acid (1), and the 27-E- and 27-Z-p-coumaric esters of ursolic acid (compounds 2, 3), were isolated together with a new triterpene 2,3-seco-taraxer-14-en-2,3-lactone [pycanocarpine (4)] from an ethanolic extract of Pleiocarpa pycnantha leaves. The structure