A number of 41 morphologically different endophytic actinomycete isolates were recovered from surface-sterilized medicinal plants; Artemisia herba-alba, Echinops spinosus, Mentha longifolia and Ballota undulate. A simplified method for selective recovery of actinomycetes from internal plant tissues is described. Successful recovery was achieved on the media: starch-casein agar, 1/10 diluted starch casein agar, tap water-yeast extract agar and MG-plant extract agar. Preliminary description of the isolates, according to microscopic examination and amino acid composition of the cell wall hydrolystates, indicated prevalence of genus Streptomyces. The highest number of endophytic actinomycetes was recovered from Mentha longifolia and represented 34% of the isolates. Organic extracts of the growth metabolites from the cultures were tested for cytotoxicity against Artemia salina as well as for antimicrobial activities against 4 reference bacterial strains, 6 clinical bacterial cultures and two clinical fungal cultures. Variable activities were obtained with different actinomycete isolates; the highest activity could be detected against Gardnerella vaginitis and Shigella boydii strain ATCC 9207; being represented in 29% of the isolates in both cases. For the first time, the isolation of endophytic actinomycetes from Saint Katherine wild plants is reported and their potential use as novel source of bioactive compounds is discussed.