Abstract The hydrodistilled essential oil (yield, 0.1%) of semi-dried leaves of Rynchosia minima DC. was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Twenty-four compounds representing 95.9% of the oil were identified. The major components were found to be Î²-caryophyllene (30.4%), germacrene B (17.9%), camphor (7.8%), Î±-humulene (7.4%) and Î³-muurolene (7.3%). The oil was found to exhibit antibacterial activity against Bacillus cerus, Staphylococcus aureus and Micrococcus luteus.