Abstract The leaf essential oil of Tagetes lucida Cav. (Asteraceae) from Cuba has been obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-FID and GC/MS. Forty volatile compounds were identified, of which estragole (96.8%) was the major constituent. The antioxidant capacity of this essential oil was measured by two different in vitro assays (DPPH and TBARS) and significant activities were evidenced. The preliminary screening of its antiplasmodial, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral activities was carried out against Plasmodium berghei, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, Acinetobacter lwoffi, Enterobacter aerogenes and against strains HHV 1 and HHV 2. The results showed a moderate activity against P. berghei and E. coli.