The effects of crude extracts from medicinal plants on biological activity were investigated. The crude ethanol extract of H. paucistipula inhibited the growth of the Gram positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis ATCC 19659, (2 mm inhibition zone at 150 ${mu}g$/disc) and the dermatophyte Trichophyton mentagrophytes ATCC 28185, (7 mm inhibition zone at 150 ${mu}g$/disc), and toxic to P388 murine leukaemia cells ($IC_{50};2.48;{mu}g/ml$ at 75 ${mu}g$/disk). This crude ethanol extract of H. paucistipula is the strongest antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities against P388 murine leukaemia cells (ATCC CCL 46 P388D1).