BACKGROUND: Chagas disease and Leishmaniasis are 2 of 6 parasitic diseases with higher levels of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Both are treated with toxic and expensive drugs. In the search for more effectively compounds, we synthesized 10 new C-2 hydroquinolines derivates and their potential activity were evaluated against Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes and Leishmania braziliensis promastigotes. METHODS: MTT assays were performed, with a maximum concentration of 50μM. Those compounds with values ​​less than 50% of cell proliferation were selected and evaluated on VERO cells and BMDM macrophages. RESULTS: (1) T. cruzi: five compounds with EC₅₀ ​​<50μM and innocuous to their host cells (VERO) at 300μM. All these were more active than itraconazole^®. The compound JS56 presented a greater trypanocidal activity, with a percentage inhibition of parasite growth (PIPG): 75% and EC₅₀: 0.5 uM. (2) L. braziliensis: nine compounds with EC₅₀ < 50μM and safe for their host cells (macrophages BMDM) at concentration of 300μM. Of the 9 compounds, 6 were more active than miltefosine^®. JS87 and JS92 presented more leishmanicidal activity, with a PIPG close to 90 % and EC₅₀: 3μM and 1 uM, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The antiparasitic effectiveness generated by these compounds, make them candidates to carry out more detailed studies. Studies of molecular action mechanisms and evaluations on intracellular amastigotes, will be carried out for more comprehension of this high biological activity.