A new D/E cis (20E,22R,25S)-20-deoxy-5a-cevanine alkaloid, tortifoline (1), was isolated from the Chinese herbal drug, “takuri baimo” (dried bulbs of Fritillaria tortifolia). The structure of 1 was deduced from spectral data and its absolute configuration was confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis. © 1989, The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan. All rights reserved.