Although the quinolizidine alkaloids and flavonoids, the main active components of the traditional Chinese medicine Sophora flavescens, have been largely investigated, a new matrine alkaloid derivative 9 alpha-hydroxy-7,11-dehydromatrine (1) and a rare 1,4-diazaindan-type alkaloid flavascensine (17), together with 15 known alkaloids, were isolated from S. flavescens. The structures were established on the basis of spectroscopic techniques. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.