The chemical composition, and antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-proliferative activities of the essential oils of Ammoides pusilla (Apiaceae) and Thymus munbyanus (Lamiaceae), collected in Algeria, were studied. Cumin alcohol (44%), p-cymene (18%), limonene (14%), thymol (11%) and Î³-terpinene (7%) predominated in A. pusilla essential oil, whereas carvacrol (71%) was dominant in T. munbyanus essential oil. The antibacterial activity of A. pusilla and T. munbyanus essential oils was studied by the agar diffusion method against Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica serovar Thyphimurium, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes. The tested bacteria were more susceptible to T. munbyanus essential oil. Ammoides pusilla essential oil was the most effective for scavenging the free radicals. Ammoides pusilla essential oil also had the best reducing power as well as the highest lipid peroxidation inhibition. Thymus munbyanus essential oil showed the best anti-proliferative activity of human acute monocytic leukemia cell line (THP-1).