Scutellaria lateriflora

Taxobox
name = "Scutellaria lateriflora"

---

color = lightgreen
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Lamiales
familia = Lamiaceae
genus = "Scutellaria"
species = "S. lateriflora"
binomial = "Scutellaria lateriflora"
binomial_authority = L.

"Scutellaria lateriflora", also known as Blue skullcap, Hoodwort, Virginian skullcap, mad-dog skullcap ["mad dog, n. -compounds" Oxford English Dictionary - mad dog because it was a supposed cure for hydrophobia] is a hardy perennial herb native to North America. It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae, which also includes many other herbs. The form is upright and is usually 0.2m to 0.45m in height [http://www.plant-identification.co.uk/skye/labiatae/scutellaria-galericulata.htm] [http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Scutellaria+galericulata] . It is a wetland loving species and grows along fens and shorelines. The blue flowers appear in July to September and are 10-20mm long. The flowers are in pairs and are all on the same side of the stem. The flowers do not appear at the top of the stem. The name of the species, 'lateriflora' means having 'lateral flowers' or 'flowers to the side.'

Medicinal uses

"Scutellaria", as a genus, has numerous medicinal uses and various species of skullcap are used in the same way. It should be noted though that the traditional uses of Virginian Skullcap should not be confused with those of other Skullcaps as there are 200 different species of Skullcap and they are not all used in the same way. Blue skullcap is often used in the same way as for Common skullcap (S. galericulata), Western skullcap (S. cordifolia), or Southern skullcap all of which are very genetically similar. [P. Wolfson, MD, and D.L. Hoffmann, FNIMH, ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES, mar/apr 2003, VOL. 9, NO. 2 75.] Blue Skullcap and Common Skullcap are mainly known for their traditional use as an incense and herbal teas.

Pharmacology

Essential oils

Chemical	Concentration (mg/g)
ALPHA-CUBEBENE	42
ALPHA-HUMULENE	42
BETA-ELEMENE	92
CALAMENENE	152
DELTA-CADINENE	270

Other constituents

Chemical	Concentration (mg/g)
CARBOHYDRATES	780
ASCORBIC ACID	1
BAICALIN	10P.H. and Horhammer, L., Hager's Handbuch der Pharmazeutischen Praxis, Vols. 2-6, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1969-1979.]
scutelaterin
scutelaterein
tannin	28-35
wax	12

Scutellarin is transformed by hydrolysis into scutellarein.

The principle phenolics in the leaves, stems, and roots are baicalein and wogonin. [Nishikawa, et al. Phenolics in tissue cultures of Scutellaria. Natural Medicines 53: 209-213,1999] . Another study identifies 5,6,7-trihydroxy-2'- methoxyflavone and its 7-0-glucuronide. [Analysis of Scutellaria lateriflora and its adulterant Teucrium canadense by HPLC-UV and HPLC-UV/MS, Tom's of Maine, PO Box 710, Kennebunk, ME 04043,USA] . A number of the flavones found in S. lateriflora have been reported to selectively bind with high affinity to central benzodiazepine receptor sites, leading to the view that the flavones exert anxiolytic and other benzodiazepine effects in rats. [Medina, et al. , Overview-Flavonoids: A new family of benzodiazapine receptor ligands. Neurochem Res. 199722 (4): 419.]

Virginian skullcap contains the flavonoid glycosides baicalin, dihydrobaicalin and chrysin glucuronide. Baicalin is known to be anti-inflammatory and analgesic [Anesth Analg 2003;97:1724-1729 [http://www.anesthesia-analgesia.org/cgi/content/full/97/6/1724|http] ] . Chrysin is found naturally in various plants including wild carrot, the Pelargonium species, which are germanium-like plants; the Passiflora or passion flower species, which include tropical passion fruit; and the Pinaceae species, including pine trees. Chrysin is sold as a nutritional supplement for male body builders because of its possible action in inhibiting the conversions of androgens to estrogens [Kellis JT Jr, Vickery LE. Inhibition of human estrogen synthetase (aromatase) by flavones. Science. 1984; 225:1032-1034.] .

The flavonoids are found throughout the plant but are more concentrated in the leaves, and the concentrations are found to decrease slightly as the plant matures. The dried leaf is reported to contain ~50 mg/g of flavonoids. The flavonoids are readily extracted using hot water."Comparison of the Chemical Composition of Extracts from Scutellaria lateriflora Using Accelerated Solvent Extraction and Supercritical Fluid Extraction versus Standard Hot Water or 70% Ethanol Extraction." J. Agric. Food Chem., 53 (8), 3076 -3080, 2005]

Several neo-clerodane diterpenoids with insect anti-feedant activity have been reported from S. laterifolia. [M.D. Cole, J.C. Anderson, W.M. Blaney, L.E. Fellows, S.V. Ley, R.N. Sheppard and M.S.J. Simmonds,Phytochemistry, 29, 1793-1796 (1990).] [B. Rodriguez, M.C. de la Torre, B. Rodriguez, M. Bruno, F. Piozzi, G. Savona, M.S.J. Simmonds, W.M. Blaney and A. Perales, Phytochemistry, 33, 309-315 (1993).] [B. Rodriguez, M.C. de la Torre, B. Rodriguez and P. Gomez-Serranillos, Phytochemistry, 41, 247-253 (1996).]

ee also

*Anxiolytic
*Sedative
*Valerian
*Anxiety
*Herbalism
*Special Herbs, Vols. 4, 5 & 6
*Special Herbs, Vols. 5 & 6

References

*

External links

* [http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/galleries/scutellarialate.html Connecticut Botanical Society: "Scutellaria lateriflora"]
* [http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Scutellaria+lateriflora Plants For A Future: "Scutellaria lateriflora"]
* [http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SCLA2 USDA Plants Profile: "Scutellaria lateriflora"]
* [http://sun.ars-grin.gov:8080/npgspub/xsql/duke/plantdisp.xsql?taxon=919 Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases]
* [http://www.raysahelian.com/skullcap.html Skullcap herb info]