Baikal skullcap
Scutellaria baicalensis · Accepted scientific name
Scientific literature: Very Extensive (1397 studies) · ★★★★★
Baikal skullcap, scientifically known as Scutelariia baicalensis, is a perennial herb native to East Asia. Renowned in traditional medicine, it contains bioactive flavonoids like baicalin. These compounds offer potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties, making it a significant subject of modern pharmacological research for treating various inflammatory conditions.
- Family
- Lamiaceae
- Native range
- Europe
- Parts used
- Roots · Root
- Common names
- Baikal Skullcap · Chinese Skullcap
- Scientific synonyms
- Scutellaria Macrantha · Scutellaria Lanceolaria · 3 more
Names
Common Names
- Baikal skullcap
- Chinese skullcap
Regional and Traditional Names
Spanish:
- Scutellaria macrantha
- Scutellaria adamsii
- Scutellaria davurica
- Scutellaria speciosa
- Scutellaria lanceolaria
- Scutellaria baicalensis f. albiflora
- Scutellaria baicalensis f albiflora
German:
- Baikal-Helmkraut
- Baikalhelmkraut
- Baikal-Helmkraut
French:
- Scutellaire du Baïkal
- scutellaire du lac Baîkal
Scientific Names
Accepted name
Scutellaria baicalensisSynonyms
- Scutellaria macrantha
- Scutellaria lanceolaria
- Scutellaria davurica
- Scutellaria baicalensis f. albiflora
- Scutellaria adamsii
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Lamiales, falling into the family Lamiaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Scutellaria.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Lamiales | WCVP |
| Family | Lamiaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Scutellaria | WCVP |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a notable geographical presence across diverse regions of the Eurasian continent. In Middle Europe, it can be found growing within the borders of Germany. Its distribution extends significantly into the vast territories of Siberia. Specifically, it is located in the regions of Buryatiya, Chita, and Irkutsk. Additionally, the plant's range reaches even further north into Yakutiya.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Middle Europe | Germany | WCVP |
| Siberia | Buryatiya | WCVP |
| Siberia | Chita | WCVP |
| Siberia | Irkutsk | WCVP |
| Siberia | Yakutiya | WCVP |
| Russian Far East | Amur | WCVP |
| Russian Far East | Khabarovsk | WCVP |
| Russian Far East | Primorye | WCVP |
| China | China South-Central | WCVP |
| China | Inner Mongolia | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, known as Scutellaria baicalensis, is a perennial herb where various components offer significant therapeutic value. The most pharmacologically active part is the roots, which are harvested and dried to extract baicalin. While the singular root is often the focus of medicinal preparation, the entire underground system contributes to the plant's vitality. Above the ground, the stem supports the structure of the herb, leading to the development of the leaf, which is typically lanceolate in shape. Ultimately, the aerial parts, encompassing the stems, leaves, and flowers, represent the visible growth of the plant above the soil surface.| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| roots | Journal of natural products (and other 22 sources) | ★★★★★ |
| root | Journal of chromatography. A (and other 12 sources) | ★★★★★ |
| aerial parts | Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| leaf | Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| stem | Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Root | Plants (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flowers | Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| plant roots | Veterinary and comparative oncology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Dried roots | Arthritis research & therapy (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Dry roots | Przeglad lekarski (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Scutellaria baicalensis has 226 reported phytochemicals identified across 81 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Baicalin, baicalein, Wogonin, Oroxylin A, Wogonoside.
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Baicalin | Dr. Duke (and other 53 sources) | ★★★★★ |
| baicalein | Dr. Duke (and other 40 sources) | ★★★★★ |
| Wogonin | Dr. Duke (and other 39 sources) | ★★★★★ |
| Oroxylin A | Dr. Duke (and other 15 sources) | ★★★★★ |
| Wogonoside | Dr. Duke (and other 15 sources) | ★★★★★ |
| Flavonoids | PloS one (and other 14 sources) | ★★★★★ |
| chrysin | Dr. Duke (and other 8 sources) | ★★★★☆ |
| Scutellarin | Dr. Duke (and other 6 sources) | ★★★☆☆ |
| Skullcapflavone II | Dr. Duke (and other 5 sources) | ★★★☆☆ |
| Scutellarein | Dr. Duke (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
Activities
Scutellaria baicalensis has 490 reported activities identified across 81 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Antiviral, Antitumor, Hepatoprotective.
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | Dr. Duke (and other 10 sources) | ★★★★★ |
| Antibacterial | Dr. Duke (and other 8 sources) | ★★★★☆ |
| Antiviral | Dr. Duke (and other 8 sources) | ★★★★☆ |
| Antitumor | Dr. Duke (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Hepatoprotective | Dr. Duke (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Analgesic | Dr. Duke (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antiallergic | Dr. Duke (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Adaptogenic | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiandrogenic | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Scutellaria baicalensis has 122 reported medicinal uses identified across 81 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include inflammation, oxidative stress, antioxidant, cancer, lung cancer.
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| inflammation | European journal of pharmacology (and other 14 sources) | ★★★★★ |
| oxidative stress | European journal of pharmacology (and other 6 sources) | ★★★☆☆ |
| antioxidant | Pharmaceutical biology (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| cancer | Molecular pharmaceutics (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| lung cancer | Eksperimental'naia i klinicheskaia farmakologiia (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| HIV | Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| antiviral | BMC genomics (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| asthma | International journal of environmental research and public health (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| colorectal cancer | Phytotherapy research : PTR (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| gastric cancer | Biomedicines (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
Preparations
| Preparations | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| extracts | Journal of biosciences (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| roots | Journal of natural products (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| herbal extract | Biochemical pharmacology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| water extract | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 70% EtOH extracts | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 70% ethanol extract | Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Chinese herb medicine | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Chinese herbal medicine | Molecular biology reports (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Decoctions | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Dry roots | Przeglad lekarski (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |