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Chinese
Scullcap
Common name: Asian
scullcap, Baikal scullcap, golden
root
Botanical name: Scutellaria
baicalensis
Scutellaria baicalensis, a mint
family member, is grown in China and Russia. The root of
this plant is used in traditional Chinese herbal
medicines and has been the focus of most scientific
studies on scullcap. American scullcap and Chinese
scullcap are not
interchangeable.
Historical or traditional
use
Chinese scullcap is typically used in
herbal combinations in Traditional Chinese Medicine to
treat inflammatory skin conditions, allergies, high
cholesterol and
triglycerides.
Active
constituents
The root of
Chinese scullcap contains the flavonoid baicalin that
has been shown in test tube studies to have protective
actions on the liver. Anti-allergy actions and the
inhibition of bacteria and viruses in test tube studies
have also been documented with Chinese scullcap. Some
preliminary Chinese human trials, generally of low
quality, suggest that Chinese scullcap may help people
with acute lung, intestinal, and liver infections, as
well as hay fever. More extensive clinical research is
needed to clearly demonstrate Chinese scullcap’s
effectiveness for these
conditions.
How much is
usually taken?
In
traditional Chinese herbal medicine, Chinese scullcap is
typically recommended as a tea made from 3–9 grams of
the dried root.4 Fluid extract, 1–4 ml three
times per day, is also used.
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