The antimicrobial mechanism of totarol was studied using Pseudomonas aeruginosa IFO 3080. This diterpene inhibited oxygen consumption and respiratory-driven proton translocation in whole cells, and oxidation of NADH in membrane preparation. NADH-cytochrome c reductase was inhibited by totarol while cytochrome c oxidase was not. NADH-DPIP reductase and NADH-CoQ reductase were also inhibited. The site of respiratory inhibition of totarol was thought to be near CoQ in the bacterial electron transport chain.