The alcoholic extract of the fresh bulbs of Cyrtanthus elatus yielded zephyranthine (1) and 1,2-O-diacetylzephyranthine (2), together with three other known alkaloids. Complete assignment of H-1 and C-13 NMR spectra of compounds 1 and 2 was done by employment of two-dimensional NMR techniques. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.