Scutellaria baicalensis is a herbaceous perennial in the Lamiaceae, native to northeastern China, Mongolia, southeastern Siberia, Korea and parts of Japan, where it grows on dry, sunny grassy slopes, rocky open ground and gravelly riverbanks. Plants form clumps 30-60 cm tall from a stout, woody, branching taproot that is bright yellow inside. The four-angled stems are erect to ascending and bear opposite, narrowly lanceolate to linear leaves 2-5 cm long, with entire to faintly toothed margins and short petioles. From early summer the species produces showy, one-sided racemes of violet-blue to purplish, two-lipped tubular flowers about 2-3 cm long, the upper lip helmet-shaped and the lower lip three-lobed. The fruits are small, dark-coloured nutlets enclosed in the persistent calyx, whose upper lip bears the characteristic scutellate appendage of the genus. The roots are harvested in autumn of the third or fourth year.

Dosage

Form	Amount	Frequency	Duration	Population	Notes
decoction	6-15g	Daily	—	—	—

Cultural & Historical Context

Traditional Chinese Uses

Huang Qin (Chinese skullcap root, baical skullcap) is one of the most important and widely prescribed Heat-clearing herbs in Chinese medicine. It drains Fire and Damp-Heat from the Upper Burner, making it a primary herb for febrile illness, Lung Heat with cough and yellow phlegm, and Upper Burner inflammation. It also clears Damp-Heat from the Stomach, Intestines, and Gallbladder, addressing dysentery, jaundice, and Damp-Heat diarrhea. Additionally, it cools the Blood to stop bleeding and calms the fetus in heat-related threatened miscarriage.

Traditional American Uses

None Documented

Important Disclaimer

This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.

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