the essential oil of aerial parts of stachys subnuda montbret & aucher ex benth (s. subnuda) was analyzed by gas chromatography (gc) and gc/mass spectrometry (ms). anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by lipoxygenase inhibition assay. the antioxidant activity was determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (dpph), 2,2'-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiozoline-6-sulfonic acid (abts) assays. sixty-two constituents, comprising 97.1% of the total essential oil composition, were identified. phytol (25.2%), -caryophyllene (11.2%), germacrene d (6.9%), and hexadecanoic acid (6.9%) were the major compounds of aerial part essential oils of s. subnuda. the essential oil showed significant radical scavenging activity with 50% inhibition (ic50) values of 0.124 and 0.204 mg/ml for abts and dpph radicals, respectively. the essential oil exhibited moderate anti-inflammatory activity with an ic50 value of 0.419 mg/ml. the results indicated that s. subnuda essential oil had good anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. also, this is first study on chemical composition, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity of s. subnuda essential oil.