An ethyl acetate extract of Artemisia herba-alba was partitioned by HPLC in 10 fractions that were tested in the [(3)H]-flumazenil radioligand assay, for affinity to the GABA(A)-benzodiazepine receptor. Two fractions showed activity from which hispidulin and cirsilineol were isolated. The structures were confirmed by (1)H NMR. The IC(50) values were 8 microM for hispidulin and 100 microM for cirsilineol.