Sedative principles of the seeds of Zizyphus vulgaris var. spinosus have been characterized as sanjoinine-A (frangufoline), nuciferine and their congeners. Also, heattreatment of sanjoinine-A produced a more active artifact, sanjoinine-Ahl, which provides a scientific basis for heat-processing (roasting) of this Oriental medicine. © 1987 The Pharmaceutical Society of Korea.