Daphne (Thymealaceae) species have been widely used in traditional Anatolian medicine. The antioxidant capacity and fatty acid composition of two Daphne taxa (D. oleoides subsp. oleoides and D. serica) were studied. The antioxidant properties of four solvent extracts of Daphne species were assessed using different chemical assays including phosphomolybdate assay, free radical-scavenging assay, β-carotene/linoleic acid test system, ferric and cupric reducing power. The total phenolic and flavonoid content of the extracts also were determined. Ethyl acetate, methanol and ethanol extracts obtained from the Daphne species possess strong antioxidant potential. Polyunsaturated fatty acids in the studied oils were the highest level in the fatty acid components. Essential fatty acids accounted for 27.46-45.31% of total fatty acids. These results indicated that the extracts of studied Daphne taxa can be exploited as a source of natural antioxidants and essential fatty acids in pharmacological and food industry. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.