Abstract: The invention relates to an extract taken from Piper methysticum G. Forster, which is extracted from above-ground growing parts of these plants, especially from the leaves. Said extract offers advantages with regard to the action and extraction and, according to HPLC analysis, is distinctly different from known extracts taken from root material. One such extract can be obtained by extracting substances from above-ground growing plant material of Piper methysticum<G. Forster, preferably from the leaf material, and is suited for use in medicaments having an anxiolytic, anticonvulsive, muscle relaxant, narcosis increasing, analgesic, sleep-inducing, anti-inflammatory and/or neuroprotective effect.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a method of enhancing a specific biological activity of a plant containing at least one physiologically active metabolite, comprising the steps of (a) collecting a plurality of samples of said plant; (b) cultivating each of said samples under at least a first set of defined conditions to produce matured plants of each of said samples; (c) processing each of said matured plants under at least a first set of defined conditions to obtain plant material of each of said matured plants; (d) determining said specific biological activity of each of said plant material by means of at least one biological assay to obtain a ranking of said plant materials indicating plant materials with a higher specific biological activity; (e) selecting said plant materials with a higher specific biological activity to identify elite plants; (f) multiplying at least one of said elite plants; (g) cultivating said elite plants under at least a first set of defined conditions to produce matured plants o