Common name Baikal skullcap
Plant family Lamiaceae
Parts used Root
Qualities Bitter, dry, cold (Holmes, 2007).
Constituents
Baicalin (Yarnell, Abascal & Hooper, 2009). Melatonin ((Braun & Cohen, 2010).
Actions Tonic, nervine, antispasmodic (Grieve, 1971). Anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anxiolytic (Sarris & Wardle, 2010). Anti-fibrotic, hepatoprotective (Braun & Cohen, 2010).
Indications
Traditional Chinese medicine recommends the herb in conditions of fever, irritability, thirst, and cough with thick yellow mucous (Braun & Cohen, 2010).
Grieve recommends the herb for nervous headaches, neuralgia and for headaches brought on by coughing (Grieve, 1971).
Sarris and Wardle posit that the herb's demonstrated ability to suppress the recruitment of eosinophils to sites of allergic inflammation may be key to its traditional indication for asthma. Sarris and Wardle also suggest it be used in fibromyalgia, and for calming stress and anxiety in children (Sarris & Wardle, 2010).
Researchers studying the anti-biotic effect of S. baicalensis report that it restored the effectiveness of beta-lactam antibiotics against MRSA and other strains of beta-lactam-resistant S. aureus (Liu, Durham & Richards, 2000).
Indicated as a tonic during convalescence, and for chronic fatigue syndrome (Bone & Mills, 2013).
The anxiolytic action of the herb may be mediated through its active constituent baicalin, activating the benzodiazepine binding site of GABA-A receptors (Liao, Hung & Chen, 2003).
A commercial product containing an active constituent of S. baicalensis (baicalin) was shown to be as effective as Naproxen for managing signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee (Levy, Saikovsky, Shmidt, Khokhlov & Burnett, 2009).
Cautions/Contraindications
Contraindicated during Interferon therapy. Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for threatened abortion (Braun & Cohen, 2010) and has been shown in rodent studies to have an anti-abortive effect (Zhong, 2002) but cannot be said to be definitively safe in humans.
Dosage
Dried herb: 6-15g per day. Liquid extract (1:2): 30-60ml per week or 4.5-8.5 ml per day in divided doses (Braun & Cohen, 2010).
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Combinations
With Coptis chinensis in Traditional Chinese Medicine (Yarnell, Abascal & Hooper, 2009).
References
Bone, K., & Mills, S. (2013). Principles and practice of phytotherapy. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.
Braun, L., & Cohen, M. (2010). Herbs & natural supplements. Sydney: Elsevier Australia.
Grieve, M. (1971). A modern herbal. New York: Dover Publications.
Holmes, P. (2007). The energetics of Western herbs. Cotati, Calif.: Snow Lotus Press
Levy, R., Saikovsky, R., Shmidt, E., Khokhlov, A., & Burnett, B. (2009). Flavocoxid is as effective as naproxen for managing the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee in humans: a short-term randomized, double-blind pilot study. Nutrition Research, 29(5), 298-304.
Liao, J., Hung, W., & Chen, C. (2003). Anxiolytic-like effects of baicalein and baicalin in the Vogel conflict test in mice. European Journal Of Pharmacology, 464(2-3), 141-146.
Liu, I., Durham, D., & Richards, R. (2000). Baicalin synergy with beta-lactam antibiotics against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and other beta-lactam-resistant strains of S. aureus. Journal Of Pharmacology And Pharmacotherapeutics, 52(3), 361-366.
Sarris, J., & Wardle, J. (2010). Clinical Naturopathy: An Evidence-based Guide to Practice. Churchill Livingstone.
Yarnell, E., Abascal, K., & Hooper, C. (2009). Clinical botanical medicine. Larchmont, NY: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
Zhong, X. (2002). Anti-abortive effect of Radix scutellaria and Rhizoma atractylodis in mice. American Journal Of Chinese Medicine, 30(1), 109-117.