Crude ethanolic extract, lignoid fraction and the purified compound yangambin were obtained from Ocotea duckei (Lauraceae) and their antileishmanial activity was tested against promastigote forms of Leishmania chagasi and Leishmania amazonensis cultivated in Schneider medium, supplemented with 20% of fetal bovine serum. All substances presented antileishmanial activity with IC50 values of 135.7 microg/mL for the crude ethanolic extract, 26.5 microg/mL for the lignoid fraction and 49.0 microg/mL for yangambin on L. chagasi. For L. amazonensis the IC50 values were 143.7 microg/mL, 48.2 microg/mL and 64.9 microg/mL for the crude ethanolic extract, the lignoid fraction, and the purified compound yangambin, respectively. The crude ethanolic extract, lignoid fraction, and yangambin caused an inhibition higher than Glucantime, a reference drug used for the treatment of leishmaniasis.