Scutellaria lateriflora

Scutellaria lateriflora, (commonly "blue skullcap", "mad dog skullcap",[1][2], "American skullcap", "side-flowering skullcap", etc.) is a hardy perennial herb of the mint family, Lamiaceae, native to North America.

Scutellaria lateriflora

Secure  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Scutellaria
Species:
S. lateriflora
Binomial name
Scutellaria lateriflora

It has an upright habit, growing 60–80 cm (24–31 inches) in maximum height.[3][4] It is a wetland-loving species and grows near marshes, meadows, and another wet habitat. The blue flowers are just under 1 cm (0.4 inches) long.[3][4] Most of the flowers do not appear at the top of the main stem but are produced along the length of side branches that grow from the leaf axils.

Other skullcaps (Scutellaria) species include common skullcap (S. galericulata), western skullcap (S. canescens), and southern skullcap (S. cordifolia).

Phytochemicals
Illustration by Charles Frederick Millspaugh

The principal phytochemicals are polyphenols in the leaves, stems, and roots of some Scutellaria species, including baicalin, baicalein, wogonin, and oroxylin A.[5][6][7] Other constituents include lateriflorin, melatonin, serotonin, viscidulin III-2’-O-glucoside, Chyrin-6-C-ara-glc, trans-verbascoside, viscidulin, trans-martynoside, oroxylin A-7-O-glc, wogonoside, chitin, and scutellarin.[7] Scutellaria lateriflora contains flavonoids.[8]

One study identified 5,6,7-trihydroxy-2'- methoxyflavone and its 7-O-glucuronide.[9] Scutellarin is a flavone found in S. lateriflora and S. barbata.[10] It is transformed by hydrolysis into scutellarein.

Genkwanin, hesperetin, quercetin, rutin, naringenin, chrysin, and daidzein are the flavonoids found in S. lateriflora.[10] The flavonoids are readily extracted using hot water.[11]

The oil from S. lateriflora contains τ-cadinene, calamenene, β-elemene, α-cubebene, and α-humulene.

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 10[12]
scutellarin
scutellarein
tannin 28-35
wax 12

Traditional uses and research

Its extracts are used in herbal medicine intended as a mild sedative and sleep promoter.[8] Cherokee women have used it as an emmenagogue.[13] In 1773, Scutellaria lateriflora became a common treatment in North America for the hysteria and hydrophobia caused by rabies.[14]

Skullcap products have been analyzed, with some adulterated by Teucrium canadense or T. chamaedrys, also known as germander, which contains potentially hepatotoxic diterpenes.[8]

References
  1. Scutellaria lateriflora. NatureServe. 2012.
  2. mad dog, n. -compounds Oxford English Dictionary - mad dog because it was a supposed cure for hydrophobia
  3. Jepson Manual Treatment
  4. Washington Burke Museum
  5. Nishikawa K, et al. (1999). "Phenolics in tissue cultures of Scutellaria" (PDF). Natural Medicines. 53 (4): 209–13.
  6. Li J, Ding Y, Li XC, Ferreira D, Khan S, Smillie T, Khan IA (2009). "Scuteflorins A and B, dihydropyranocoumarins from Scutellaria lateriflora". J. Nat. Prod. 72 (6): 983–7. doi:10.1021/np900068t. PMID 19555121.
  7. Bokelmann, Jean M. (2022-01-01), Bokelmann, Jean M. (ed.), "70 - Skullcap/Scullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis, Scutellaria lateriflora): Above-Ground Parts", Medicinal Herbs in Primary Care, Elsevier, pp. 593–598, ISBN 978-0-323-84676-9, retrieved 2022-12-16
  8. Lin, L. Z.; Harnly, J. M.; Upton, R (2009). "Comparison of the Phenolic Component Profiles of Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) and Germander (Teucrium canadense and T. Chamaedrys), a Potentially Hepatotoxic Adulterant". Phytochemical Analysis. 20 (4): 298–306. Bibcode:2009PChAn..20..298L. doi:10.1002/pca.1127. PMC 3583524. PMID 19402188.
  9. 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.
  10. Uritu, Cristina M.; Mihai, Cosmin T.; Stanciu, Gabriela-Dumitrita; Dodi, Gianina; Alexa-Stratulat, Teodora; Luca, Andrei; Leon-Constantin, Maria-Magdalena; Stefanescu, Raluca; Bild, Veronica; Melnic, Silvia; Tamba, Bogdan I. (2018-05-08). "Medicinal Plants of the Family Lamiaceae in Pain Therapy: A Review". Pain Research and Management. 2018: e7801543. doi:10.1155/2018/7801543. ISSN 1203-6765. PMC 5964621. PMID 29854039.
  11. Bergeron, Chantal; Gafner, Stefan; Clausen, Edgar; Carrier, Danielle J. (2005). "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. doi:10.1021/jf048408t. PMID 15826062.
  12. P.H. and Horhammer, L., Hager's Handbuch der Pharmazeutischen Praxis, Vols. 2-6, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1969-1979.
  13. Joshee N, Patrick TS, Mentreddy RS, Yadav AK. 2002. Skullcap: Potential medicinal crop. In: J Janick,A Whipkey (eds). In Trends in New Crops and New Uses. ASHS Press: Alexandria, VA; 580– 586.
  14. Scutellaria lateriflora. Southern Cross Plant Science. Southern Cross University.
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