Abstract : Citrus aurantium is a tree belonging to the Rutaceae family known for the quality of its essential oils. The aim of this study is to enhance the essential oil (EO) extracted from the leaves of Citrus aurantium called “small bigarade grain”, through a physico-chemical characterization and the evaluation of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory powers in vitro. The extraction resulted in an essential oil yield of 0.30%. The extracted EO is liquid and clear of pale yellow color, fresh and of floral smell. It had a refraction index of 1,4784 and a density of 0.875. The chemical composition revealed by a gas phase chromatography coupled with a mass spectroscopy (GPC/MS) highlighted the main components of the essential oil of Citrus aurantium leaves which are linalol, linalyl acetate, carvacrol and alpha terpineol with 38.50%, 19.65%, 16.56% and 10.27%, respectively. This composition generated an antioxidant activity in vitro, determined by the DPPH radical trapping method, very interesting with a maximum inhibition percentage of 87.66% and an IC50 of 21.52 μg/ml. In vitro anti-inflammatory activity, determined by an ovalbumin denaturation inhibition test, generated a maximum inhibiting percentage of 85.96% with the lowest concentration of 1.74 μg/ml and an IC50 of the order of 21.39 μg / ml. This study confirms the well-founded interest in this plant in general, and its essential oil in particular.