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China has accumulated a rich body of empirical knowledge of the use of medicinal plants for the treatment of various diseases throughout its long history. Chemical studies on Chinese medicinal plants provide a valuable material base for the discovery and development of new drugs of natural origin. In this article recent chemical work on various Chinese medicinal plants is reviewed, including Mussaenda pubescens (Rubiaceae), Isatis indigotica (Cruciferae), Euphorbia fischeriana, and E. ebracteolata (Euphorbiaceae), and Stemona species (Stemonaceae). The structural diversity of the medicinal chemical constituents of the above plants is discussed. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Med Res Rev, 18, No. 6, 375–382, 1998.