Seven diterpenes isolated of the latex of the Euphorbia obtusifolia were evaluated as inhibitors of the NADH oxidase activity in submitochondrial particles from bovine heart. Compound 2, 2,3,5,7,8,9,15-heptahydroxyjatropha-6(17),11-diene-14-one 8,9-diacetate 7-isobutyrate 2,3-bis(2-methylbutyrate), was the most potent inhibitor with an inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 5.1 ± 0.2 μM. In the present study, some structure-activity trends are suggested for the inhibitory activity of these natural products on the mammalian mitochondrial respiratory chain.