During the course of our investigation, two novel alkaloids namely adhatonine [1J and vasicol /2] were isolated, besides the already reported alkaloids vasicine, vasicinone and vasicinol [3, 4]. Here we report the presence of a new alkaloid vasicinolone which appears to be an oxidative product of vasicinol. Adhatoda vasica NEES (Acanthaceae) has been recommended for various ailments of the respiratory system in the indigenous system of medicine and is included as an expectorant in many proprietary cough remedies. It has also aroused considerable interest for its beneficial effects in malaria, dysentery, diarrhoea, antiperiodic and anthelmintic properties. Finely cut roots (20 kg) were defatted with hexane and subsequently extracted with ethanol. The alcoholic extract was acidified with 5 % HCI and extracted with chloroform to remove nonalkaloidal components. The acidic extract was basified with solution of ammonia (pH 9—10) and extracted with chloroform to give crude alkaloids, which were purified over silica gel. Elution with pure chloroform, chloroform —methanol mixtures 24:1, 9:1, 7:1, 5:1, and finally pure methanol yielded adhatonine, vasicinone, vasicinolone, vasicol, vasicine and vasicinol respectively. Vasicinolone m.p. 279°; M 218 analysed for C11H10N203. UV spectrum XMH 325, 276 and 225 nm. JR spectrum showed prominent bands v* 3400, 1670, 1624, 1600 and 1490 cm1. 1H NMR data (s), TFA) 2.4 (2H, m, C-2H2); 4.2 (2H, m,C-1H2); 5.6 (1H, t, C-3H) and 7.6 (3H, rn, C-5, C-6 and C-8H). Mass spectrum showed major peaks rn/c (%) 218 (M; 100), 217 (M-l; 7.7) 190 (5.9); 162 (83.3); 135 (53.1); 131 (13.4); 119 (16.4), 106(14.2) and 69 (57.5); Diacetylderivative rn.p. 204° analysed for C15H14N205. JR v 1750 and 1220 cm. 1H NMR (ô), CDCI3) 2.2 (3H, s, C 3 OCOCH3) and 2.42 (3H, s, C-7 OCOCH3) besides the above peaks. Vasicinol was oxidized (H202; 30 %)tovasicinolone. On the basis of above data Vasicinolone has been assigned structure shown in Fig. 1.