Six new physalin steroids, 7 β -methoxylisophysalin B ( 1 ), 7 β -methoxylphysalin C ( 2 ), physalin V ( 3 ), physalin VI ( 4 ), physalin VII ( 5 ), isophysalin I ( 6 ), together with 20 known physalins ( 7 – 26 ) were isolated from calyces of Physalis alkekengi var. franchetii . Structures of the new compounds were revealed through 1D and 2D NMR and mass spectroscopic methods. Compounds 1 – 26 were evaluated for cytotoxicity against human HL-60, SMMC-7721, A-549, MCF-7 and SW-480, and the results indicated that compounds 8 , 11 , and 14 displayed potent cytotoxicities (IC 50 < 5 μM) in vitro. Further antibacterial assay indicated that compounds 8 , 14 , and 19 showed high antibacterial activities against Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]