Baikal skullcap

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Baikal skullcap
• Chinese skullcap

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Scutellaria macrantha
• Scutellaria lanceolaria
• Scutellaria davurica
• Scutellaria baicalensis f. albiflora
• Scutellaria adamsii

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

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.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (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.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Scutellaria baicalensis is defined by its ability to thrive across a diverse range of topographical and environmental niches. This species is commonly found inhabiting mountains and old fields, demonstrating a versatility that allows it to colonize both elevated terrains and stabilized disturbed lands. Its distribution extends to riparian zones near rivers and the open expanses of the steppe, where it must contend with varying moisture levels and wind exposure. Additionally, the plant shows a strong affinity for stony places, indicating an adaptability to well-drained, mineral-rich substrates and rocky microhabitats.

Habitat :

mountains, old fields, rivers, steppe, stony places

Life history

The life history of Scutellaria baiicalensis is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist through multiple growing seasons. In terms of its growth habit and structural organization, it is classified as a hemicryptophyte, a life form where the perennating buds are located at the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or organic matter during unfavorable conditions. This hemicryptophytic strategy enables the plant to maintain its presence in its natural habitat over long durations, effectively managing its seasonal transitions through its specialized vegetative structures.

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Scutellaria baicalensis is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and specifically a forb. It functions as a self-supporting plant, lacking any climber, vine, or liana tendencies, and it maintains an independent lifestyle as it is not a parasite. The plant is terrestrial in nature, rather than aquatic or semiaquatic, and it does not function as an epiphyte. In terms of stature, it is a relatively low-growing species with a plant height ranging from a minimum of 0.15 m to a maximum of 0.35 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.35 m

Plant height min:

0.15 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Scutellaria baicalensis is primarily characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency under typical environmental conditions. As a C3 plant, it utilizes the enzyme Rubisco to fix atmospheric carbon dioxide directly into a three-carbon molecule during the Calvin cycle, a process that is highly efficient in temperate climates but sensitive to photorespiration under high-temperature or water-limited stressors. Beyond its carbon assimilation, the plant exhibits complex secondary metabolic physiology, specifically the biosynthesis of bioactive flavones such as baicalin, baicalein, and wogonin. These specialized metabolites are synthesized through the phenylpropanoid pathway, serving crucial physiological roles in protecting the plant against oxidative stress, UV radiation, and various biotic pathogens. The plant's physiological resilience is further supported by its root system, which serves as the primary site for the accumulation of these thermogenic and antioxidant compounds, facilitating metabolic regulation and structural defense.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Scutellaria baicalensis is characterized by its sexual reproductive cycle, utilizing bisexual flowers that contain both male and female reproductive organs within the same blossom. The flowering period for this species typically commences in June and continues through July, though the exact timing may be subject to seasonal variability. This sexual reproduction process ensures genetic diversity through the pollination of these hermaphroditic structures during its summer blooming window.

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Jul

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Scutellaria baicalensis has 6 reported plant parts identified across 55 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root, stem, leaf, seed, flower.

Root

1. Journal of natural products
2. International journal of environmental research and public health
3. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
4. Journal of chromatography. A
5. Planta medica

Stem

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
3. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
4. Fish & shellfish immunology
5. Guang pu xue yu guang pu fen xi = Guang pu

Leaf

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
2. Fish & shellfish immunology
3. Guang pu xue yu guang pu fen xi = Guang pu
4. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Seed

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
2. Biological trace element research
3. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Flower

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
2. Bioresource technology

Rhizome

1. Acta pharmaceutica Sinica. B

Chemicals

Scutellaria baicalensis has 226 reported phytochemicals identified across 55 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Baicalin, baicalein, Wogonin, Oroxylin A, Wogonoside.

Baicalin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Nutrition and cancer
3. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
4. Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry
5. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

baicalein

1. Dr. Duke
2. Nutrition and cancer
3. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
4. Journal of natural products
5. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Wogonin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of advanced research
3. Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry
4. Journal of natural products
5. European journal of pharmacology

Oroxylin A

1. Dr. Duke
2. Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry
3. Journal of natural products
4. Natural product research
5. Planta medica

Wogonoside

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmaceutical biology
3. Biochimica et biophysica acta
4. Natural product research
5. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Flavonoids

1. PloS one
2. BMC plant biology
3. Planta medica
4. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
5. Biopharmaceutics & drug disposition

chrysin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
3. PloS one
4. Chinese journal of natural medicines
5. Current drug metabolism

Scutellarin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
3. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
5. Journal of separation science

Skullcapflavone II

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of natural products
3. Planta medica
4. PloS one
5. Phytochemistry

Scutellarein

1. Dr. Duke
2. Planta medica
3. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
4. Molecular biology reports

Activities

Scutellaria baicalensis has 490 reported activities identified across 55 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Antiviral, Antitumor, Hepatoprotective.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in medicine
3. Pharmaceutical biology
4. Journal of periodontal research
5. Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
3. Przeglad lekarski
4. Veterinary sciences
5. Plant molecular biology

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Veterinary sciences
3. Molecular plant
4. Plant molecular biology
5. Frontiers in plant science

Antitumor

1. Dr. Duke
2. Voprosy onkologii
3. Eksperimental'naia i klinicheskaia farmakologiia
4. Scientific reports

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmaceutical biology
3. International journal of biological macromolecules
4. PloS one

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. PloS one
3. Pharmacology

Antiallergic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Planta medica

Adaptogenic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Voprosy onkologii

Antiandrogenic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Conditions

Scutellaria baicalensis has 122 reported investigations on conditions identified across 55 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include inflammation, oxidative stress, antioxidant, cancer, lung cancer.

Inflammation

1. European journal of pharmacology
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
4. Journal of medicinal food
5. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Oxidative stress

1. European journal of pharmacology
2. The American journal of Chinese medicine
3. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
4. Biomaterials advances
5. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica

Antioxidant

1. Pharmaceutical biology
2. Chinese journal of integrative medicine
3. International journal of biological macromolecules
4. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB

Cancer

1. Molecular pharmaceutics
2. International journal of biological macromolecules
3. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Lung cancer

1. Eksperimental'naia i klinicheskaia farmakologiia
2. Pharmacological research
3. Phytotherapy research : PTR
4. Biomolecules

Hiv

1. Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry
2. The American journal of Chinese medicine
3. Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung. C, Journal of biosciences

Antiviral

1. BMC genomics
2. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
3. Plant molecular biology

Asthma

1. International journal of environmental research and public health
2. International journal of molecular medicine
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Colorectal cancer

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Biomolecules

Gastric cancer

1. Biomedicines
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR
3. Scientific reports

Preparations

Scutellaria baicalensis has 66 reported preparations identified across 55 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include extracts, roots, herbal extract, water extract, 70% EtOH extracts.

Extracts

1. Journal of biosciences
2. Eksperimental'naia i klinicheskaia farmakologiia
3. Fitoterapia

Roots

1. Journal of natural products
2. Antiviral research
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Herbal extract

1. Biochemical pharmacology
2. Fish & shellfish immunology

Water extract

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Fish & shellfish immunology

70% etoh extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

70% ethanol extract

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Chinese herb medicine

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Chinese herbal medicine

1. Molecular biology reports

Decoctions

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Dry roots

1. Przeglad lekarski