Abstract: To study new natural products, we used ODS (YMC, Kyoto, Japan) and silica gel column chromatography to separate compounds in Cercis chinensis Bunge (Leguminosae). A new stilbene, trans-3, 5, 3'', 4''-tetrahydroxy-4-methylstilbene (1), along with 10 known compounds, namely piceatannol (2), dihydromyricetin (3), catechin (4), dihydrorobinetin (5), menisdaurin (6), lithospermoside (7), teatannin (8), dasycarponin (9),β-sitosterol (10), and daucosterin (11), was isolated from C. chinensis. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic evidence. Compounds 2–6 and 9 were isolated from the genus Cercis Linn. for the first time.

Key words: Cercis chinensis, Leguminosae, trans-3, 5, 3', 4'-tetrahydroxy-4-methylstilbene.