Scutellaria baicalensis, an essential herb for Hepatitis

What is scutellaria baicalensis(Huang Qin)?
Medicinally it mainly refers to the dry root of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, a plant in the mint family Lamiaceae. Sometimes Huang Qian also means the root of other plants in the same family, including Scutellaria amoena G.H.Wright, Scutellaria viscidula Bunge., and Scutellaria likiangensis Diels. But please don’t mistake it for Scutellaria lateriflora that is native to North America and commonly known as mad dog skullcap and blue skullcap. And other names of it include Chinese Skullcap, Baical skullcap root, Radix Scutellariae, Skullcap ‘Oriental Blue’, skullcap baikal, Radix Scutellariae Baicalensis, and more. In China it is mainly produced in Hebei, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Henan, Shaanxi and other places. Usually it is harvested during spring and autumn. After that, remove fibrous roots and dirt, dry in the sun, remove raw bark, steam thoroughly or moisten thoroughly with boiling water, slice with knife, and dry once again, used raw, wine processed, or charred.

This is a perennial herb. Basal part of stem is prostrate on the ground and then rises to 15 to 120cm. Taproot is stout, slightly conical, and tan. Leaves are opposite, with short handle, lanceolate blade, and entire margin. Racemes are terminal. Labiate flowers are dark brown, partial to one side of the inflorescence and surrounded in sepal. Nutlets are 4, nearly round, and black. The flowering period is from July to August and the fruiting period is from August to September. Main habitats are grasslands and high dry gravelly slopes.

Scutellaria baicalensis benefits
The clinical application of skullcap has more than 2,000 years of history. Today it is still an essential herb for clearing heat, drying dampness, and purging fire for removing toxin. Besides of herbal formulas, it is largely used as raw material in making Chinese patent medicine. In line with the first part of "National Catalog of Chinese Patent drugs", there are 45 in 66 honeyed pills, 46 in 64 tablets, and 25 in 36 watered pills containing the ingredient of scutellaria baicalensis. In addition, in many places this herb is the pharmaceutical source of extracted baicalein and baicalin. Now it is made into scutellaria baicalensis extract, capsules, tincture, tablets, supplements, etc. It provides help on diseases like anxiety, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Prostate Cancer, mild depression, Hepatitis, and so on. But its health benefits don’t end medicinally, it is also widely used in the industry of skin care and cosmetics thanks to its antioxidant properties.