Scullcap

< peppermint

Scutellaria lateriflora

A Brief History of Scullcap

Scullcap has a uniquely different history in both eastern and western medicine. There are over 350 species of Scutellaria. The two most common are baicalensis, naturalized in East Asia and Russia, and lateriflora in North America and Western Europe (1).

Known as the "golden herb" in Chinese medicine, the use of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, or Chinese skullcap, as medicine has been in practice for thousands of years. The extract is traditionally prepared from the roots of the plant where the nervous system can be harnessed and is known as Huang-Qin when complete (Huang meaning yellow, and Qin (Jin) meaning golden) (1)(2). Chinese scullcap has been used to treat inflammation, respiratory infections, insomnia, hypertension, dysentery, and menstruation (7).

In European and North America medicine, Scutellaria lateriflora, or American scullcap, has a lesser documented history. We know that North American tribes such as the Cherokee used the plant as a medicine and in ceremony, but better documentation of its use in western culture did not begin until the 1700's when it was first prescribed for rabies in both humans and animals (3)(4). American Skullcap has been used to treat anxiety, depression, insomnia, hypertension, inflammation. New studies show that scullcap may also help fight psoriasis and skin cancer (read our medical review below).

Growth and Cultivation

S. lateriflora is a perennial in the mint family and prefers to grow in moist, woodland areas where it capitalizes on the partial-shade and cool, wet soil. Native to the eastern United States, the plant reaches maximum potency while flowering between the months of July and September. The flowers are a bluish purple and only appear on one side of the plant. Scutella translates to "a small dish", in reference to the shape of the pedal, and lateriflora to "flower on the side" (6).

In 2001 it was estimated that nearly 70 percent of all scullcap consumed in the United States was cultivated by growers outside of North America. Much of the cultivation occurring in the United State is still wild harvested, with very few systematic, commercial growers.

Sometime in the last 30 years, there was a genetic contamination of a large distribution of scullcap seeds in the United States. The seeds were found to contain trace amounts of the Teucrium species (and some some seed packets were found to not contain Scutellaria at all). The problem is that Teucrium can cause liver problems if you are ingesting it at the same rate as you would true scullcap. The distinction between the contaminated and noncontaminated seeds is impossible to tell and must be tested chemically for proof of genetics. Our advice: wild harvest in obscure locations or find a reliable distributor before purchasing seeds (5)(6).

Medicinal Use in History

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Huang-Qin is prepared from the root of S. baicalensis and (and other species) used to exorcize superficial evils from the body (8). And the Cherokee Native Americans steeped the leaves of S. scutelaria for tea and used it in ceremony to help young women transition to womanhood (4).

Now it is more common for both S. baicalensis and S. lateriflora to be harvested for their roots. While the upper foliage of Chinese scullcap does not contain the same potency as American scullcap, Chinese scullcap was tested to be 5 and 6.8 times higher for flavonoids than the American species, S. scutelaria (9).

Mad-Dog Weed

For about 100 years it was widely believed that Skullcap was a cure for rabies (hydrophobia) in both humans and animals. Lawrence Van Derveer of New Jersey was among the first doctors to prepare the extract specifically for the treatment, granting the plant the nickname "Mad-Dog Weed" (3)(5).

Despite Lawrence Van Derveer's documented cases and claims to have successfully treated thousands of humans and animals, and regardless of the coinciding reports by other physicians and doctors after him, scullcap extract as a suitable treatment for rabies was debunked and finally rejected in 1852 by Dr. John King and Dr. Robert Newton (6).

Health Benefits of Scullcap

Scullcap's true medicinal capabilities are undergoing a regrowth in traditional Chinese medicine, and just beginning to blossom in Western practice. So, in times of such imbalance, might we suggest that you fashion yourself a cup of scullcap tea and read on about how this plant might greatly improve your life - or at least save you from major anxiety!

Antioxidants and Flavonoids

Phytochemical Analysis

In addition to scullcap containing substantial levels of antioxidants, as many of the ingredients in our Herbal Medicine Journal do, scullcap has been found to contain a unique combination of flavonoids (11).

"Flavonoids, a group of natural substances with variable phenolic structures, are found in fruits, vegetables, grains, bark, roots, stems, flowers, tea and wine. These natural products are well known for their beneficial effects on health and efforts are being made to isolate the ingredients so called flavonoids. Flavonoids are now considered as an indispensable component in a variety of nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, medicinal and cosmetic applications." -NCBI (10)

In 2008 one of the first analyses were done on three of the 350 different species of Scutellaria: S. baicalensis, S. lateriflora, and S. racemosa - the latter of the three is the least studied. Chemically, the three plants were found to contain the flavonoids wogonin, scutellarin, baicalein, and baicalin. These are the chemicals attributed to the benefits of the scullcap plant (11).

Also found within the leaves and stems were the neurohormones melatonin and serotonin (11).

Potency

The two most common species were compared in the following study: S. baicalensis and S. lateriflora. Specifically, the team tested for the flavonoids baicalin, baicalein, and wogonin via plant roots only. The study found that:

"The levels of baicalein and baicalin were 6.8 and 5.0 times higher, respectively, in S. baicalensis than in S. lateriflora." - Incheon National University (12)

Conclusion:

Both North American and Chinese scullcap are a high source of antioxidants and flavonoids with Chinese scullcap 5x more potent (S. baicaelnsis) than its' American counterpart in the chemicals:
- baicalein, baicalin, wogonin, and scutellarin,
The roots should be used primarily. However:
Leaves and stems contain melatonin and serotonin

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Affect on the Human Nervous System

GABA and Amino Acids

Scullcap has been identified to contain the amino acids GABA and glutamine (13). Amino acids, GABA specifically, have grown quite popular as a food supplement and can be found in most grocery and supplement stores in the United States (14).

Neurotransmitters

"Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the human cortex." - NCBI (14)

As it turns out, the flavonoids found in scullcap, baicalin and baicalein, bind to the human GABAA receptors. It is believed that the unique combination of GABA amino acids, and flavonoids baicalin and baicalein, provide scullcap with its' sensational effect on the human nervous system (13).

Neurological Disorders and Brain Swelling

Neurological disorders can be developed over time from neuroinflammation. Scutellaria was put to the test, and it was found that the active chemicals of the plant could help to "prevent chronic neurologic disorders involving neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration" (15).

Insomnia

Some studies have found that the baicalin and baicalein, and especially the amino acids GABA, help with insomnia (16)

Depression

Scullcap has been used historically as a mood enhancer. In Seoul, Korea, a team administered daily doses of baicalein to male rats before and after inducing trauma to the rats. They found that the administration of baicalein "significantly improved the helpless behaviors and depressive symptoms" in the rats (17).

Conclusion:

The Amino acids and the flavonoids found in scullcap are powerful supplements for maintaining neurological health
Good for pain and inflammation

How Scullcap Benefits the Skin

Inflammation

Scullcap has historically been taken by mouth either as tea or extract. It is also found as a supplement. It is not well known in Western Medicine for its use topically (on the skin). This is indeed most likely because of the flavonoid's (baicalin) poor skin permeability (18).

A study in 2016 tested the permeability of baicalin by developing an appropriate phospholipid vesicle to improve local activity - or in other words, they created a topical solution loaded with scullcap and tested its permeability on the human skin. They also tested various concentration levels of baicalin in their solution (18).

They found that baicalin can be administered on the skin with the right solution as an effective anti-inflammatory, and results were similar regardless of concentration level (18).

Psoriasis

In Chinese Traditional Medicine, scullcap is very common as a topical. Specifically, it has been used for centuries to treat psoriasis.

"Baicalin was formulated into topical creams at concentrations of 1%, 3%, and 5%. The anti-inflammatory effect of baicalin cream was evaluated in 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced contact hypersensitivity (CHS) mice, and its keratinocyte-modulating action was assessed using the mouse tail model for psoriasis." - NCBI (19)

The cream used as a topical in the experiment was found to reduce inflammation and relative epidermal thickness of the mouse's tail - indicative of healthy regrowth post-treatment.

Dermatitis

"Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is a prototypic T-cell-mediated cutaneous inflammatory response." - NCBI (20)

This particular study was conducted using mice with dermatitis. The team found that baicalin was the flavonoid responsible for reducing the inflammatory response of the skin. The study also claims that "baicalin was eventually able to penetrate into the skin following a topical application." This again proves that the plant can be used in a topical application (20).

Skin Cancer

In China, researchers found that baicalin reduced proteins linked to tumor progression and resistance (21).

"Our data indicated that baicalin results in the significant inhibition of tumor growth in the A431 cell line" - NCBI (21)

Conclusion:

Significant research shows that the anti-inflammatory properties of the flavonoids found in scullcap can provide relief to the body for a variety of conditions.

Works Cited:

Scullcap

A Brief History of Scullcap ​

Growth and Cultivation

Medicinal Use in History

Mad-Dog Weed

Health Benefits of Scullcap

Antioxidants and Flavonoids

Phytochemical Analysis

Potency

Tea Tree & Beet Soap

the ORIGINAL Soul Salve - Moisturizing Hand Salve

Soul Cream - Beeswax and Coconut Body Cream

Soul Butter - Aloe Vera and Cocoa Lotion Bar

Sun Salve - Zinc Oxide Sun Protection

Plain Jane Soap

Chunky Clove Soap

Silky Clove Soap

Cedarwood and Aloe Vera Soap

Lip Salve - Aloe Vera and Coconut

Kaolin Lavender Soap

Oatmeal Honey Soap

Affect on the Human Nervous System

GABA and Amino Acids

Neurotransmitters

Neurological Disorders and Brain Swelling

Insomnia

Depression

How Scullcap Benefits the Skin

Inflammation

Psoriasis

Dermatitis

Skin ​Cancer

Works Cited:

Stay up to date

A Brief History of Scullcap

Skin Cancer