Pentacyclic triterpene alcohols (9.8%), their acetates (16.1%), and their long chain fatty acid esters (4.6%) represent 30.5% of the benzine extract from the herb of Sonchus asper Vill.
(Compositae). The composition of triterpene alcohols was : α-amyrin (4%), β-amyrin (8%), germanicol (6%), Ψ-taraxasterol (17%), taraxasterol (36%), lupeol (28%), and other unidentified components (1%); and that of triterpene acetates was : α-amyrin acetate (3%), β-amyrin acetate (8%), germanicol acetate (5%), Ψ-taraxasterol acetate (19%), taraxasterol acetate (21%), and lupeol acetate (44%). Triterpene alcohol moiety of the long chain fatty acid esters was Ψ-taraxasterol only. The results indicate that the benzine extract from S. aspen Vill, can be used as a good source of pentacyclic triterpenoids.