[Objective] The aim was to determine flavonoids from the MeOH extracts of Tephrosia purpurea leaves and their cytotoxicitives against the ovarian cells from Sprodenia litura （SL cells）.[Method] The compounds were isolated with column chromatography and their structures were established on the basis of various spectroscopic analysis （including UV,1D and 2D NMR analyses as well as HR-ESRMS）.The cytotoxicity against the SL cells was evaluated by using MTT method.[Result] Six known flavonoids,6-methoxykaempferol （1）,6-methoxykaempferol 7-O-α-rhamnopyranoside （2）,6-methoxykaempferol 3-O-α-rhamnopyranosyl（1→2）[α-rhamno-pyranosyl（1→6）]-β-galactopyranoside （3）,6-methoxykaempferol 3-O-α-rhamnopyranosyl （1 →2）[α-rhamnopyranosyl （1 →6）]-β-galactopyranoside-7-O-α-rhamnopyranoside （4）,pongachin （5）,5,7-dimethoxy-8-（3-hydroxy-3-methylbut-1Z-enyl） flavanone （6） were isolated and determined.Except compound 5,the others were isolated from T.purpurea for the first time.For the cytotoxicity compound 5 had significant activity with the IC50 value of 4.4 mg/L while compound 1 and 3,whose cytotoxicity exceeded rotenone,also showed moderate activity.[Conclusion] Of all the compounds from T.purpurea leaves,the content of 6-methoxykaempferol compounds was considerable.The profiles of these compounds against SL cells suggested that compounds 1,3 and 5,whose cytotoxicity exceeded rotenone,were worth further research.
