Jatropha gossypifolia root bark is used in ethnomedicine for bacterial infections and cancer of the lungs. Phytochemical investigation resulted in the isolation and characterization of a potent anticancer and novel lathyrane diterpenoid compound, abiodone, with an unusual methylene group. The structure of this novel compound was established by 1D, and 2D NMR spectroscopic experiments a nd confirmed by X-ray analysis.