Two new sesquiterpene polyol esters (triptonine A and B) with alkaloid and monoterpene were isolated from Tripterygium hypoglaucum (Levl.) Hutch. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic means and X-ray analysis. Triptonine A (1) and hypoglaunine B-3) (4) demonstrated potent anti-HIV activity with EC50 values of 2.54 and 0.13 mu g/ml and therapeutic index values of 39.4 and >1000, respectively. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.