A novel quinolone alkaloid, 4-methoxy-3-(3-methyl-2-oxobut-3-enyl)quinolin-2(1H)-one, limonellone (1), together with five known compounds has been isolated from the stems of Zanthoxylum limonella. The structural elucidation of isolated compounds was established through spectroscopic and MS analyses. (C) 2012 Phytochemical Society of Europe. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.