Scutellaria baicalensis, Huang Qin, or Chinese Skullcap, is a flowering herb in the mint family that has been used for thousands of years in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The root is used as medicine and has been found to be very rich in flavinoids including baicalein, baicalin, wogonin, norwogonin,
and oroxylin A [1].
In Traditional Chinese Medicine it is classically used to clear damp-heat which encompasses conditions like fever, nausea, dysentery, diarrhea, ulcers, tonsillitis, urinary tract infections, bronchitis, and pneumonia. It was also seen as an agent to clear toxins from the body and stop excessive bleeding as well as calm the fetus during pregnancy. Scutellaria baicalensis has been shown to have a synergistic effect when combined with beta-lactam antibiotics, thereby restoring their effectiveness against multidrug resistant bacteria like MRSA [2].
Scutellaria baicalensis has been shown in research to be a potent anti-infl ammatory, neuro-protective [3, 4, 5, 6], cardioprotective [7], hepatoprotective [8, 9], kidney-protective [10, 11], anti-allergy, and a broad specture anti-microbial agent [fungus, bacteria, virus, etc.] Scutellaria baicalensis has been shown to increase glutathione, a potent antioxidant [12]. There have been hundreds of studies on this herb. It has been shown to decrease damage after stroke and heart attack, and improve memory and cognition. It has also been shown to be a potent anti-inflammatory, which can both reduce joint pain [13] as well as allergy symptoms [14]. It has also been shown to be a potent anti-microbial against many bacteria including Salmonella, Typhimurium, Senftenberg, and Enteritidis species [15]. It has also been shown effective against candida species [16].
The flavinoids in Scutellaria baicalensis have been shown to have potent anti-inflammatory effects, blocking TNF-a, COX and Interleukin 6 [17] and exhibiting positive eff ects on conditions like inflammatory bowel disease [18]. Scutellaria baicalensis has been shown to have potent anti-cancer effects for many different types of cancers including colon cancer [19], lung cancer [20, 21], breast cancer [22, 23], leukemias, liver cancer [24], brain cancers [25], stomach cancer [26], and squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck [27].
Scutellaria baicalensis has been shown to decrease infl ammation in the airways and has been shown very useful in treating asthma [28, 29].
Scutellaria baicalensis has protective effects on cardiac tissue and increases blood flow to the periphery lending itself as a treatment for erectile dysfunction and other circulation issues [30]. Scutellaria baicalensis has been shown to have potent anti-viral effects, particularly against H1N1 Flu virus [31] as well as dengue virus [32]. Scutellaria baicalensis has anti-coagulant effects and works by inhibiting platelet aggregation [33]. Studies in China suggest Baicalin (in scutellaria) may promote Treg cell differentiation and regulatory activity and may serve as a promising natural product for treating autoimmune inflammatory diseases [36].
Lastly studies have shown the herb to have a glucose-lowering effect, and therefore has implications for treating type II diabetes [34]. When analyzed for active chemical compounds in Scutellaria it was discovered both serotonin and melatonin were present [35]. Serotonin and Melatonin are both neurotransmitters where decreased amounts can cause depression and/or sleep deprivation. Scutellaria can also help with those who have too high of levels of catecholamines. Scutellaria baicalensis is very safe and has been used for thousands of years safely in pregnancy to help overcome acute colds and flus, however long-term use should be avoided in pregnancy [36].
Dosage:
Typical adult dose is one capsule t.i.d. but can go higher if needed.
Tincture is designed for children but can be used by adults also. Dosage is 10-30 drops 3x per day.
Our tincture is extracted with organic cane alcohol which is then boiled off (as much as possible while retaining potency) and then organic glycerin is added.
Most tinctures on the market are extracted by non-organic grain based alcohol (many from GMO corn ethanol). While Supreme Nutrition Products has never done a tincture before, the demand for a few antimicrobials for small children has made us decide to make this. The product obviously can also be used for adults.
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BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine BMC series 2012 12:64