The 95% ethanol extract of the bark of Swartzia polyphylla DC (Fabaceae) possesses important larvicidal, antimycobacterial and antifungal activity in vitro. Bioassay-guided studies performed on the crude ethanol extract afforded T-cadinol as the larvicidal and anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis principle, while the antifungal activity of the extract is due to the presence of the flavonoids biochanin A and dihydrobiochanin A. © 2006 Pharmaceutical Society of Japan.