A new acetylated bidesmosidic triterpenoid saponin has been isolated from the leaves of Schefflera octophylla and structurally elucidated as 3-epi-betulinic acid 3-O-beta-D-6'-acetylglucopyranoside 28-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1----4)-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1----6)]-bet a-D-0-glucopyranoside [1].