The present invention provides a novel antimalarial compound 3-[2-(2-Hydroxymethyl- 1, 4a, 5-trimethyl-7-oxo-l,2,3,4,4a, 7 8, 8a-octahydronaphthalen-l-yl)-ethyl]-5H-furan- 2-one of the formula (I) givenbelow or pharmaceutically acceptable derivatives thereof, isolated fromGomphostema niveum and also provides a method for the extraction thereof aswell as methods for the treatment of malaria using said compound.