Abstract The leaf essential oil of Chromolaena odorata L. (Asteraceae) harvested in Togo were steam-distilled and investigated for chemical composition (GC and GC-MS) and in vitro potential cytotoxic activity on human epidermic cell line HaCat. The chemical composition showed that the main constituents of essential oil sample were respectively β-caryophyllene (25.2 %), germacrene D (18.8 %), and linalool (7.9 %). The in vitro cytotoxicity bioassays on human cell line HaCaT did not revealed any toxicity of C. odorata essential oil up to 3000 μL.mLâ1. Pure commercial β-caryophyllene and germacrene D standards appeared almost non-toxic (IC50 >3000 μL.mLâ1), proving the major role played by the major components in the overall cell viability showed by the C. odorata oil sample tested in this work.