The methanol extract of the dried root barks of Tripterygium wilfordii afforded three novel D:A friedooleanan and 24-norfriedoolean triterpenoids: 2,3-dihydroxy-24-nor-D:A-friedooleana-1,3,5(10)-triene-29-oic, 2 beta-hydroxy-3-oxo-24-nor-D:A-friedooleana-4-ene-29-oic acid and 2 alpha-hydroxy-3-oxo-D:A-friedooleana-29-oic acid named wilforic acid A, B and C, and two novel abietane diterpenoids: 11-hydroxy-14-methoxy-18(4 --> 3)-abeo-abieta-3,8,11,13-tetraene-18-oic acid and 14,19 beta-dihydroxy-18(4 --> 3)-abeo-abieta-3,8,11,13-tetraene-18,19-olide named triptobenzene H and I. Their structures were established on the basis of spectroscopic studies. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.