The chemical composition of Tornabenea bischoffii J. A. Schmidt essential oil from Cape Verde was studied by GC and GC/MS. Sixty volatile compounds were identified of which myristicin was the major constituent (33.6%). Using the 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl free-radical scavenging method and the in vitro assay for prevention of lipid peroxidation by thiobarbituric reactive species, significant antioxidant activities were evidenced.