Studies on pharmacologically active principles from Indonesian crude drugs. I. Principle prolonging pentobarbital-induced sleeping time from Curcuma xanthorrhiza Roxb.

Abstract

Among methanol extracts of 16 species of Indonesian crude drugs, that of Curcuma xanthorrhiza showed a prolonging effect on pentobarbital-induced sleeping time, a hypothermic effect in terms of rectal temperature and a suppressive effect on acetic acid-induced writhing when given by oral administration to mice. (R)-(-)-Xanthorrhizol was identified as a principle prolonging pentobarbital-induced sleeping time. The effect of the compound on sleeping time was demonstrated to be due to inhibition of cytochrome P-450 activity.