Two new compounds from the roots of Ilex pubescens and their cytotoxic activity.

A new phenylethanoid, 1-O-β-D-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-ethyl-6-O-vanilloyl-glucopyranoside (1), and a new furofuran lignan, (7R,7'R,7''S,8S,8'S,8''R)-4', 4''-dihydroxy-3,3',3'',5-tetramethoxy-7,9':7'9-diepoxy-4,8''-oxy-8,8'-sesquineolignan-7'',9''-diol (2), along with five known compounds (3-7) were isolated from the roots of Ilex pubescens. Their chemical structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis, including UV, IR, MS, and NMR experiments. In addition, compounds 2-7 were evaluated in vitro for their cytotoxic effects on human HeLa cells; among them, compounds 2, 3, 6, and 7 showed cytotoxic activity against HeLa cells in the test.