(-)-Epiafzelechin, a natural product isolated and purified from the herbs of Celastrus orbiculatus with antioxidant activity, exhibits various modes of action in suppressing HSV-2 multiplication, a dose-dependent inhibition on the COX activity with an IC50 value of 15 µM, and significant anti-inflammatory activity on carrageenin-induced mouse paw edema when the compound (100 mg/kg) was orally administrated at 1 h before carrageenin treatment.