Sterols, triterpenes, volatiles, polar and other constituents in aerial parts of Carthamus lanatus were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Over 90 compounds were identified most of them new for the species. Sitosterol and stigmasterol were the most abundant of 10 sterols identified in the sterol fraction. Taraxasterol, alpha- and beta-amyrine prevailed in the triterpene fraction. Volatiles, sterols and a fraction of the dichloromethane extract showed strong cytotoxicity (Artemia salina assay).