Abstract In the course of screening for anti-mycobacterial activity, the authors detected significant activity in the essential oil of Daucus littoralis Sibth. et Sm. Composition of the oil was characterized by gas chromatographic (GC) and gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric (GC/MS) analyses. The genus Daucus (Apiaceae) is represented in Turkey by six species, one being endemic, D. conchiteae W. Greuter. Daucus carota L. is a well-known species whose roots are used as food and whose fruit oil is used in perfumery (7,8). Air-dried aerial parts of D. littoralis were subjected to water distillation using a Clevenger-type apparatus. The essential oil yield was 0.2% on dry weight basis. The main compound in the oil was found as cis-chrysanthenyl acetate (46.8%). The aim of this study was to determine new potent anti-mycobacterial compounds for the treatment of tuberculosis.