[Pharmacological study of the rhizome powder of Pinellia pedatisecta processed by different procedures].

The potentiation of hypnotic activity of a barbituate and acute tocicity by the rhizome powder of Pinellia pedatisecta Schott processed by pigbile with two different traditional medicinal procedures (fermentation mixing and heating alternatively) were studied in mice. The results showed that aquatic extracts of two processed drugs could potentiate the action of hypnotics; and ethanol extracts of the drug processed with mixing and heating alterntively could significantly enhance this action, compared with that of the drug pricessed with fermentation; while no acute toxicity was measured by the two processed drugs.