Two new fatty acid esters of triterpenoids (1-2) together with eleven known compounds (3-13) were obtained after investigation of the CH2Cl2-MeOH (1:1) crude extract from the leaves of Schefflera barteri Harms. All these compounds (1-13) were isolated for the first time from this plant among which compounds 3, 4, 6 and 9-13 were also isolated from the genus Schefflera for the first time. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by analyses of their spectroscopic data (1D and 2D NMR, and MS). The antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of crude extracts, fractions and compounds (1, 2, 5, 6, 8 and 9) were investigated against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria strains as well as on human cervix carcinoma and colon adenocarcinoma cancer cell lines, respectively. They showed weak to significant activity towards the strains and malignant cells used.
Keywords: Araliaceae; Schefflera barteri; Triterpenoids; antibacterial; cytotoxicity.