Investigation of an EtOAc extract of the bark of
Libocedrus chevalieri led to the isolation of a new cytotoxic lignan,5-methoxy-4-epipodophyllotoxin (
1), and three known podophyllotoxin analo
gues, 5-methoxypodophyllotoxin, 5-methoxypodophyllotoxin-4-
O-
![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
-
D-glucoside, and podophyllotoxin-4-
O-
![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
-
D-glucoside. Six sesquiterpenoids and a diterpenoidwere also obtained. Of these, compounds
2-
4 are new sesquiterpenoids, named libocedrines A-C, and 3
![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
-hydroxyilicicalcohol was isolated for the first time from a higher plant. Structures of the new compounds were determined on thebasis of spectroscopic methods. Cytotoxicity of the isolated compounds against KB and L1210 cells and their effectson tubulin assembly were evaluated.