A new triterpene from Luculia pinciana Hook.

A new triterpene named luculiaoic acid A (1), showing inhibitory activity of a leukaemia cell line, along with eleven known compounds, has been isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of the stems of Luculia pinciana Hook. All the structures were elucidated on the basis of NMR, MS, and IR methods. The activity to inhibit Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans of all compounds showed that ursolic acid inhibits the growth of Staphylococcus aureus with an MIC of 0.5 mg ml(-1) and an MBC of 10 mg ml(-1), and scopletin inhibits Candida albicans with an MIC of 1 mg ml(-1) and an MBC of 5 mg ml(-1).