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Wrightial [1], a new terpene, cycloartenone, cycloeucalenol, β-amyrin, and β-sitosterol were isolated from the MeOH extract of the immature seed pods of Wrightia tinctoria The structure of 1 was established from spectral analysis and by chemical correlation

The structure of a new sterol isolated from the unsaponifiable lipid of Wrightia tinctoria seed lipid was shown to be 14α-methylzymosterol by comparison with a synthetic authentic compound. Four uncommon sterols, desmosterol, clerosterol, 24-methylene-25-methylcholesterol and 24-dehydropollinastanol, in addition to several usual phytosterols, were isolated and identified.

Seeds of Holarrhena antidysenterica, known for curing dysentery, are confounded with those of Wrightia tinctoria. The seeds of the former taxon are characterized by having hairs on the micropylar whereas in Wrightia tinctoria they are developed on the chalazal end. The seeds of these two taxa have different patterns of folding of cotyledons and spermodermal ornamentation. Heavy tanniferous deposition in the outer epidermal cells of the seed coat in H. antidysenterica and its scanty deposition in W. tinctoria is also an additional character to be used as a distinguishing feature.

The pharmacognostic features of the bark of Wrightia tinctoria, an adulterant of Kurchi, have been described and illustrated. Points which differentiate this adulterant from true Kurchi bark, are outlined.