Natural products are sources of various biologically active chemicals. Therefore, ethnopharmacological and ethnobotanical studies are essential to discover new substances for the treatment of diseases. In this context, many studies have been conducted of the Asteraceae family demonstrating medicinal properties of its representatives, such as species of the genus Vernonia, which are rich in bioactive substances like sesquiterpene lactones, flavonoids, tannins and steroids. This review presents an overview of Vernonia species with antimicrobial potential, their main phytochemical characteristics and ethnomedicinal uses.