A novel sesquiterpene pyridine alkaloid was isolated from the roots of Tripterygium hypoglaucum (Levl.) Hutch. together with other known :alkaloids. wilfordine. wilfortrine. wilformine;and wilfornine. Its structure tvas elucidated mainly by 2D NMR spectroscopy. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. AII rights reserved.