Ocotea duckei Vattimo is a plant popularly known as "louro-de-cheiro" found in the northeast of Brazil. Traditional medicinal uses of this plant are not known, but recent pharmacological studies with the isolated major constituent yangambin have shown various qualities: platelet activating factor (PAF) antagonist, protective effects against cardiovascular collapse and anaphylactic shock, anti-allergic properties, analgesic activity, and depressant effect in the central nervous system. In this work, the Ames test was used to evaluate the mutagenic potential of the hydroalcoholic extract of O. duckei leaves and of yangambin. Using TA97a, TA98, TA100, TA102 and TA1535 strains of Salmonella typhimurium, positive results were obtained only with the hydroalcoholic extract, with or without metabolic activation. Yangambin was not mutagenic, which is of interest due to its pharmacological properties.