Objective: To study the chemical components and bioactivity of volatiles from the kernels of Cephalotaxus fortunei. Method: the essential oils were extracted with Soxhlet extraction method. The chemical composition were separated and identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS). Study the antibacterial and antitumor activity of fatty acids by filter paper diffusion and MTT method. Result: Twenty-three components were identified from the kernel of C. fortunei

the main components were oleic acid (34.53%)

palmitic acid (12.04%)

linnleic acid

butyl ester (9.56%)

ethyl oleate (9.31%) and so on. The volatiles exhibited strong antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus

Escherichia coli and Salmonella. In addition

the sample had cytotoxic activity against K562 tumor cell lines. Conclusion: The volatiles were composed of aliphatic acids

alkanes and terpenoids

exhibited antimicrobial and cytotoxic bioactivities.