| Scutellaria baicalensis | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Genus: | Scutellaria |
| Species: | S. baicalensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi[1] |
|
| Synonyms | |
Scutellaria baicalensis (or Baikal Skullcap, as opposed to Scutellaria lateriflora, a Skullcap native to North America) is a species of flowering plant in the Lamiaceae family.
Contents |
It is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine, where it has the name huáng qín (Chinese: 黄芩). It has been reported to have anti-asthmatic, antifungal, antioxidative, and anti-inflammatory activities.[2]
Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi contains wogonin, a flavone which was found in one study to have anxiolytic properties in mice at doses of 7.5 to 30 mg/kg, without exhibiting the sedative and muscle-relaxing properties of benzodiazepines.[3] It may have anti-tumor potential.[4][5]
It also contains baicalin, another flavone. Baicalein induces apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells through down-regulation of the anti-apoptotic Mcl-1 protein in vitro .[6]
It is important to note the Latin name of the Skullcap being used as there are over 200 varieties, some used for various ailments, each with varying degrees of effectiveness. Sometimes Scutellaria lateriflora (North American Skullcap) is mistaken for Scutellaria baicalensis (Baikal Skullcap). This confusion can result in the intake of the lateriflora variety which is often processed and contaminated with other plants with high enough levels of toxicity to be of concern.