A new pyrrolidine alkaloid, Emiline (1), was isolated from the 90% EtOH extract of the aerial parts of Emilia sonchifolia. Its structure was established by various spectroscopic methods, including NMR, IR, HRESI-MS and X-ray crystallography. It was characterized by its skeleton derived from a bicyclo-[2.2.2]-oct-5-one ring and a pyrrolidine unit. The racemic mixture, (±)-Emiline, displayed good neuroprotective effect against the corticosterone-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells. © 2013 Phytochemical Society of Europe. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.