The stems of Cryptolepis buchanani are traditionally used for the treatment of inflammation, including arthritis, muscle and joint pain. In the present study, 3 crude extracts (hexane, EtOAc and methanol) from the stems of C. buchanani were evaluated for anti-inflammatory effects using an in vitro model of RAW 264.7 macrophages. At a concentration of 50 μg/mL, the hexane and EtOAc crude extract have inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production by 84.33±2.01 and 82.49±0.92 %, respectively. 3,4-Dihydroxyl benzoic acid (1), vanillic acid (2), syringaldehyde (3), isoscopoletin (4) and stigmast-4-ene-3,6-dione (5) were isolated from hexane and EtOAc crude extracts. Their structures were identified on the basis of 1H and 13C NMR, as well as a comparison of the data from previous reports. Compounds 1-5 were evaluated for anti-inflammatory activity. Compound 3 showed activity of NO inhibition with IC50 values of 49.07 μM (Indomethacin IC50 values of 39.21 μM). In addition, compounds 1-3 and 5 were isolated for the first time from this plant. HIGHLIGHTS The crude hexane and ethyl acetate (EtOAc) (each, 50 mg/mL) inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production with inhibition percentage at 84.33 and 82.49, respectively 3,4-Dihydroxyl benzoic acid, vanillic acid, syringaldehyde and stigmast-4-ene-3,6-dione were isolated for the first time from this plant Syringaldehyde showed activity of NO inhibition with IC50 values of 49.07 μM (Indomethacin IC50 values of 39.21 μM) GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT