From the methanolic extract of the seeds of the Brazilian Joannesia princeps 3,3'-bisdemethylpinoresinol and six new sesquineo-lignans were isolated besides the known neolignans americanol A, isoamericanol A and isoamericanin A which were found to be the major constituents. A method was developed to distinguish americanol- from isoamericanol-type compounds spectroscopically. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.