Cephaelis ipecacuanha is a medicinal plant used in folk medicine for the treatment of amebiasis. However, the pharmacological properties of this species remain poorly understood. Objective: Characterize chemical composition and in vitro antiprotozoal activity of Cephaelis ipecacuanha. Method: The aqueous extract was lyophilized using the Chisrt Alpha apparatus and transferred to 96-well plates at concentrations ranging from 62.5 to 1000 μg / mL. The antiprotozoal activities against Trypanosoma cruzi, Leishmania brasiliensis, and L. infantum were evaluated after 72h incubation. Fibroblasts incubated at the same conditions for 24h were used as a cytotoxicity control. The readings were performed by spectrophotometry after staining with resazurin. The chemical composition of the extract was analyzed by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC-DAD). Results: The results demonstrated that C. ipecacuanha had moderate antiprotozoal activity against T. cruzi. However, its cytotoxicity against the fibroblasts was significantly higher. Conclusion: This finding suggests that the use of this plant by the population, besides not having significant benefits, can cause associated health risks. Conclusão: Esse achado sugere que o uso dessa planta pela população, além de não apresentar benefícios significativos, pode acarretar riscos à saúde associados.