and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (2D-NMR) and electron ionization-mass spectrometry (EI-MS) techniques. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of the compounds on oestrogen receptor positive breast (MCF-7) and non-small cell lung (NCI-H-292) cancer cells. Results: The isolated compounds were identified as oleanolic acid (1), ursolic acid (2) and eichlerianic acid (3). Ursolic acid and eichlerianic acid showed strong cytotoxic effects {IC50-ursolic acid: 8.47 µg/mL (24 h, MCF-7), 7.78 µg/mL (24 h, NCI-H292) and eichlerianic acid: 8.86 µg/mL (24 h, MCF-7), 10.15 µg/mL (24 h, NCI-H292)} in MCF-7 and NCI-H292 cancer cells at 24, 48 and 72 h post-incubation periods. Conclusion: Hexane and chloroform extracts of the leaves of S. hydrophyllacea yielded three compounds namely oleanolic acid, eichlerianic acid and ursolic acid. Ursolic acid and eichlerianic acid have been isolated for the first time from the leaves of S. hydrophyllacea grown in Sri Lanka and demonstrate in-vitro cytotoxic effects in oestrogen receptor positive (MCF-7) and non-small lung cancer (NCI-H-292) cells.Keywords: Scyphiphora hydrophyllacea, eichlerianic acid, ursolic acid, oleanolic acid, This is an Open Access article that uses a funding model which does not charge readers or their institutions for access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0) and the Budapest

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