Baical Skullcap

Scutellaria baicalensis syn. S. macrantha

Baical Skullcap Huang Quin Parts used Uses Habitat and cultivation Research Constituents

Baical skullcap is a traditional herbal remedy used extensively in the Chinese system of medicine. The traditional and ancient use of this herb was confirmed when in 1973 excavations led to the discovery of 92 wooden tablets in a 2nd-century AD tomb in a region of northwestern China. The baical skullcap was among the herbs listed in the various prescriptions for the preparation of decoctions, tinctures, pills, and ointments in these ancient wooden tablets. Chinese medicine gives a central place to the baical skullcap, and traditionally the Chinese herbal medicine has made extensive use of the herb. It was considered one of the main remedies to treat "hot and damp" conditions, including disorders such as dysentery and diarrhea - and it is used in this role to this day.

PARTS USED

Root.

USES

Baical skullcap according to the traditional Chinese medical texts possesses "cold" and "bitter" qualities. And for this reason, the remedies of the baical skullcap are usually suggested in the medical system of China for use in the treatment of hot and thirsty conditions-including the treatment of various high fevers, all kinds of persistent coughs which come with the production of thick and yellow phlegm, and in the treatment of all manners of gastrointestinal infections which give rise to diarrhea, and in the treatment of dysentery and other related conditions. Individuals suffering from painful urinary conditions also benefit from using remedies made from the baical skullcap.

Extensive use of the baical skullcap is now also suggested to treat all kinds of allergic conditions, with the evidence from recent research. Thus this remedy is suggested for use in the treatment of conditions like asthma, conditions such as hay fever, skin disorders such as eczema, and in the treatment of nettle rash. The remedy is thus mainly used for the treatment of topical disorders of the skin, even if the anti-inflammatory properties will no doubt be much more effective and useful in treating all sorts of digestive infections and problems associated with the gastrointestinal tract.

Circulation and disorders of the circulatory system also benefit from remedies based on the baical skullcap; indeed this herb is a very valuable remedy for all problems related to the circulation of blood. Baical skullcap is used in herbal combination formulas with other herbs, and such remedies are used to treat conditions such as high blood pressure, problems like arteriosclerosis, disorders such as varicose veins, and to prevent easy bruising of the skin.

Baical herbal remedies are also used as applications on the skin, and remedies based on the baical skullcap are used to treats all kinds of sores, to treat swelling, and in the treatment of boils and other topical disorders. Herbal remedies made from the baical skullcap are also considered effective and extremely useful in the treatment of circulatory problems which can arise from metabolic disorders such as diabetes.

Other medical uses
Applied to the skin, baical skullcap treats sores, swelling, and boils. Baical skullcap appears to be useful for circulatory problems that arise from diabetes. Bone cancer, Liver cancer.

HABITAT AND CULTIVATION

Countries such as mainland China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, and the Russian federation are areas in which the baical skullcap grows native. The habitat that the baical skullcap herb prefers, include the sunny grassy slopes and the herb also grows well in open areas which have elevations between 350 ft-100 m and 8,000 ft-2,000 m above sea level. The propagation of the baical skullcap is through the seeds which are sown during the autumn and harvesting of the roots of three to four year plants carried out during the autumn or in the spring time.

RESEARCH

Chinese researchers have carried out extensive and thorough studies on the baical skullcap. These studies have confirmed that the baical skullcap herb indeed possesses marked anti-inflammatory and antiallergenic properties which are beneficial in the treatment of many ailments. The properties of this herb are largely due to the presence of compounds known as the flavonoids in the plant. The levels of these beneficial flavonoids in the herb, is comparable to the levels of such compounds in other beneficial herbs such as the hawthorn - botanical name Crataegus oxyacantha. The remedies made from the baical skullcap may also be useful in effectively treating all sorts of venous problems and to treat fragile capillaries in the body.

Justification for the use of the baical skullcap in the treatment of high fevers and infections such as dysentery is suggested by numerous clinical studies. These disorders are traditionally treated using this herb and now clinical proof exists that the remedy is useful and effective.

The herbal remedies made from the baical skullcap may also be used to treat conditions and problems induced by the presence of diabetes, including complications such as cataracts in the eye.

CONSTITUENTS

• Flavonoids (about 12%)-baicalin, wogoniside
• Sterols
• Benzoic acid