The aim of this study was to identify an anti-inflammatory compound from D. viscosa leaves. The structure of this bioactive substance was elucidated by IR and NMR studies, which indicated that this natural product corresponds to hautriwaic acid (HA). This diterpene exhibited good anti-inflammatory activity in 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) mice ear edema models by applications at doses of 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 mg/ear (60.2, 70.2 and 87.1% inhibition, respectively); additionally Dodonaea viscosa dichloro-methane extract (DvDE) displays a 97.8% anti-inflammatory effect at 3 mg/kg. Multiple applications of DvDE at doses of 100 mg/kg on TPA mice ear edema inhibited the edema-associated inflammation by 71.8%, while HA at doses of 15 mg/kg, reduced edema to 64% and indomethacin 40%.