[Studies on chemical constituents of roots of Euphorbia pekinensis].

Nine compounds were isolated from the roots of Euphorbia pekinensis Rupr., a traditional Chinese medicine. By combination of chemical methods and spectral analyses, the structures of the compounds were identified as lanosterol (I), octadecanyl-3-methoxy-4-hydroxybenzeneacrylate (II), beta-sitosterol (III), 7-hydroxycoumarin (IV), 2, 2'-dimethoxy-3, 3'-dihydroxy-5, 5'-oxygen-6, 6'-biphenylformic anhydride (V), d-pinoresinol (VI), quercetin (VII), 3, 4-dimethoxybenzoic acid (VIII) and 3, 4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (IX). II and V are new compounds which have not been reported in the literature. The other compounds were isolated for the first time from this plant. VI is a lignan which was first isolated from the plants of genus of Euphorbia.