Chinese Skullcap

Scientific Names

Chinese Skullcap

Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi
Scutellaria baicalensis

Common Names

Chinese Skullcap

Baikal Skullcap

Hooded Skullcap

Huang Qin – Chinese

Hwanggeum – Korean

Kikin – Japanese

Shchitovidka baykalskaya – Russian

Escutelaria de Baikal – Spanish

Scutellaire de Baïkal – French

Chinesischer Helmkraut – German

Parts Usually Used

The dried root is the primary medicinal part used, often referred to as Radix Scutellariae or Huang Qin in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The roots are typically harvested in spring or fall, then dried and processed into powders, tinctures, pills, or used in their natural form for decoctions.
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Description of Plant(s) and Culture

Chinese Skullcap is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the mint family (Lamiaceae). The plant typically grows 30-120 cm tall with a diameter of 2.5-3 mm. It has an elongated, branching, thick, fleshy rhizome up to 2 cm in diameter. The stem base is about glabrous or sessile to puberulent, blunt-tetragonal in form, and appears finely striped. The base can be either green or purple.

The leaves are 1.5-4.5 cm long and 0.5-1.2 cm wide, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate in shape. The lower part of the leaf is a lighter shade of green than the top, with petioles approximately 2 mm long. The plant produces blue, purple-red, and purple corollas that are 2.3-3 cm long, arranged in terminal racemes 7-15 cm long that often congregate into panicles at the apex of stems. The fruits are oblong, dark brown, 1.5 mm tall, and 1 mm in diameter.
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Where Found

Chinese Skullcap is native to several East Asian countries and regions including China, Korea, Mongolia, Japan, and the Russian Far East (including Eastern Siberia, Amur Oblast, and Primorye). It has been intentionally cultivated and propagated in numerous European and American countries.

The plant thrives on dry terrain and sunny grassy slopes at altitudes of 60-2000 meters. It is abundantly distributed throughout China, particularly in Heilongjiang, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Henan, Gansu, Shanxi, Shandong, and Sichuan provinces. China is the main producer of Scutellaria baicalensis for medicinal use.
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Medicinal Properties

Chinese Skullcap has been extensively studied and demonstrates a wide range of pharmacological activities including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, antimicrobial, antiviral, cardiovascular protective, and immune-modulating effects.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chinese Skullcap is considered to have bitter and cold properties, with effects of clearing away heat and dampness, eliminating fire pathology, detoxifying, and preventing bleeding and fetal restlessness. According to TCM theory, it is associated with the lung and liver meridians.

Modern pharmacological research has confirmed many traditional uses, showing that the plant’s flavonoids can inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokines and enzymes, providing significant anti-inflammatory activity. The herb also demonstrates promising antiviral properties, with studies indicating that baicalin can inhibit the replication of certain viruses including influenza and herpes viruses.
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Biochemical Information

Chinese Skullcap contains a diverse array of phytochemical constituents, with more than 100 compounds identified. The major bioactive components include:

Flavonoids (Primary active compounds):

Baicalin (C21H18O11) – the most abundant flavonoid and primary bioactive compound
Baicalein (C15H10O5) – the aglycone form of baicalin
Wogonoside
Wogonin (C16H12O5)
Scutellarin
Scutellarein
Oroxylin A (C16H12O5)
Norwogonin
Chrysin
Various glycosides and glucuronides

Other compounds:

Volatile oils (including acetophenone, palmitic acid, oleic acid)
Terpenoids (with antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory effects)
Polysaccharides (water-soluble, mainly composed of arabinose, galactose, and glucose)
Amino acids (14 types, with proline being the most abundant)
Sterols (α-spinasterol and β-sitosterol)
Phenolic compounds
Lignin glycosides
Trace elements

Legends, Myths and Stories

Chinese Skullcap has a rich history dating back over 2000 years in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It was first recorded in the Shennong Bencaojing (The Classic of Herbal Medicine), written between 200-250 AD during the Han Dynasty, for treatment of bitter, cold, lung, and liver problems.

The name “Huang Qin” has significant meaning in Chinese culture: “Huang” (黄) means yellow, referring to the golden-yellow color of the dried root, while “Qin” (芩) is equivalent to “Jin” (金), meaning golden herb. This etymology reflects the plant’s valued medicinal properties and distinctive appearance.

Li Shizhen, the famous author of Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica), first published in 1593, reported his successful self-administration of Chinese Skullcap to treat a severe lung infection when he was 20 years old, demonstrating the confidence traditional practitioners had in this herb.
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Uses

Traditional medicinal uses include treatment of:

Diarrhea and dysentery
Hypertension
Hemorrhaging and bleeding disorders
Insomnia and sleep disorders
Inflammation and inflammatory conditions
Respiratory infections including pneumonia and flu
Fever and cold symptoms
Jaundice and liver conditions
Headache and abdominal pain
Bacterial and viral infections
Cancer (various types)
Cardiovascular diseases
Neurological disorders

Modern clinical applications:

Osteoarthritis (in combination with other herbs)
Hepatitis and liver protection
Diabetes management
Cancer treatment (as adjuvant therapy)
Neuroprotection in neurodegenerative diseases
Cardiovascular protection
Immune system support
Anti-aging applications

Animal husbandry applications:

Feed additive to improve growth performance in livestock
Treatment of mastitis in dairy cattle
Prevention of bacterial and viral diseases in animals
Improvement of meat quality and antioxidant capacity
Stress reduction in farm animals

Industrial and cosmetic applications:

Antibacterial plastics and composite materials
UV-resistant silk products
Cosmetic ingredients for whitening and anti-aging
Natural preservatives

Chinese Skullcap is frequently used in classical prescriptions such as Mahuang Shengma decoction, Xiexin decoction, and Huangqin decoction. In modern clinical practice, it appears in over 477 prescriptions for treating 153 main diseases, with cold and cough being the most frequent applications.
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Formulas or Dosages

Note: There isn’t enough reliable information to establish standardized dosing recommendations for Chinese Skullcap. Clinical studies in humans are limited, and most research has been conducted in laboratory settings or animal models.

Traditional preparations:

Decoctions (boiling dried root in water)
Tinctures and liquid extracts
Powdered root preparations
Pills and tablets
Capsules

Research dosages from animal studies:

For hepatoprotective effects: 50-100 mg/kg baicalin
For anti-inflammatory effects: 20-100 mg/kg various compounds
For neuroprotective effects: 50-100 mg/kg baicalin
For cardiovascular protection: 30-60 mg/kg baicalein
For antioxidant activity: 25-70 mg/kg various compounds

Human studies (limited data):

For osteoarthritis: Herbal formulations containing Chinese Skullcap at 500 mg/day have been studied
Safety studies: 100-2800 mg baicalein as single oral dose showed good tolerability in healthy volunteers

Nutrient Content

Chinese Skullcap root contains numerous bioactive compounds with varying concentrations depending on harvesting conditions, processing methods, and plant age:

Primary flavonoids content (typical ranges):

Baicalin: 8-15% of dried root weight
Baicalein: 1-5% of dried root weight
Wogonoside: 1-3% of dried root weight
Wogonin: 0.5-2% of dried root weight
Oroxylin A: 0.2-1% of dried root weight
Scutellarin: 0.5-2% of dried root weight

Additional components:

Volatile oils: 0.1-0.5% of dried material
Polysaccharides: 2-8% of dried root
Amino acids: 14 different types identified
Sterols: β-sitosterol and α-spinasterol
Trace elements: Including platinum concentrated in roots
Phenolic acids: Citric acid, tartaric acid, malonic acid

How Sold

Chinese Skullcap is available commercially in various forms:

Dried root pieces for traditional decoctions
Standardized extracts (liquid and powder)
Capsules and tablets (often standardized to baicalin content)
Tinctures and liquid preparations
Granules for easy preparation
Traditional Chinese medicine formulations
Combination products with other herbs
Topical preparations for skin conditions
Veterinary formulations for animal use

Products are typically standardized to contain specific percentages of baicalin or total flavonoids. Quality can vary significantly between manufacturers, and products should be obtained from reputable sources that provide third-party testing for purity and potency.
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Warning

Important Safety Information:

General Safety: Chinese Skullcap is possibly safe for most adults when taken by mouth for up to 8 weeks. However, it may cause stomach pain, constipation, vomiting, and stomach upset in some individuals.

Serious Product Concerns: One specific product (Limbrel, Primus Pharmaceuticals) containing a mixture of Chinese Skullcap and catechu has been linked to serious side effects including multiple reports of liver and lung injury. The US FDA recalled this product in 2017 due to serious safety concerns.

Pregnancy and Breast-feeding: There isn’t enough reliable information to know if Chinese Skullcap is safe during pregnancy or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Bleeding Disorders: Chinese Skullcap might slow blood clotting and increase the risk of bruising and bleeding in people with bleeding disorders.

Hormone-Sensitive Conditions: Chinese Skullcap might have estrogen-like effects. If you have breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids, avoid use as it might worsen these conditions.

Surgery: Stop using Chinese Skullcap at least 2 weeks before scheduled surgery as it might cause extra bleeding during and after surgery.

Allergic Reactions: Baicalin has been identified as a potential allergen that can cause allergic reactions mediated by IgG and IgE antibodies. Some individuals may develop contact dermatitis from topical use.

Liver Toxicity: High doses have shown potential hepatotoxicity in animal studies, with reversible inflammatory changes in liver tissue at very high doses (2500 mg/kg/day).

Drug Interactions:

Blood Thinners (Warfarin, Anticoagulants): May increase bleeding risk
Statins: May decrease blood levels of cholesterol-lowering drugs
Diabetes Medications: May cause blood sugar to drop too low
Blood Pressure Medications: May cause blood pressure to go too low
Lithium: May decrease lithium elimination, leading to serious side effects
Estrogens: May decrease the effects of estrogen pills
CYP450 Substrate Drugs: May change metabolism of medications processed by liver enzymes CYP1A2 and CYP2C19
Thyroid Medications: May affect how antithyroid medications work
Sedative Medications: May cause excessive sleepiness and breathing problems

Special Populations: Individuals with spleen and stomach deficiencies may find Chinese Skullcap unsuitable due to its bitter and cold medicinal characteristics according to TCM theory.

Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before using Chinese Skullcap, especially if you have existing health conditions, are taking medications, or are pregnant or nursing. Natural products are not always necessarily safe, and dosages can be important.
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