Dihydro-β-agarofuran-type sesquiterpenes from the roots of Tripterygium wilfordii and their cytotoxic activity

•Eight new compounds (2, 6, 8-13) were isolated from the roots of T. wilfordii.•Compounds 6, 7, 10, 11 displayed a high selectivity for inhibitory cancer cells.•This article and studying of dihydro-β-agarofuran-type sesquiterpenes nature products have bright future in the preventment and treatment of numerous cancer.