Supplements Herbal Supplements Skullcap: Everything You Need to Know By Megan Nunn, PharmD Updated on June 01, 2023 Medically reviewed by Suzanne Fisher, RD Print Verywell / Anastasia Tretiak Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Uses Side Effects Precautions Dosage Toxicity Interactions How to Store Similar Supplements Sources & What to Look For Frequently Asked Questions Skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis) is an herb commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine. It's rich in nutrients, including antioxidants known as flavonoids that reduce the effects of stress on the body. In particular, skullcap contains baicalin and baicalein, two compounds studied for a wide range of healing properties. This article discusses the potential uses and benefits of skullcap. It also covers side effects and precautions to note before adding it to your medicine cabinet. Dietary supplements are not regulated the way drugs are in the United States, meaning the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve them for safety and effectiveness before products are marketed. Whenever possible, choose a supplement tested by a trusted third party, such as U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP), ConsumerLab.com, or NSF International.However, even if supplements are third-party tested, they are not necessarily safe for all or effective in general. Therefore, it is important to talk to your healthcare provider about any supplements you plan to take and ask about potential interactions with other supplements or medications. Supplement Facts Active ingredients: Baicalin, wogonin, baicalein, wogonoside, and oroxylin AAlternate names: Baikal skullcap, Huang Qin, Scutellaria baicalensis, hoodwortLegal status: Over-the-counter supplement in the United StatesSuggested dose: Unknown due to lack of human clinical trialsSafety considerations: Not enough safety data for children, during pregnancy or breastfeeding Uses of Skullcap Supplement use should be individualized and vetted by a healthcare professional, such as a registered dietitian, pharmacist, or healthcare provider. No supplement is intended to treat, cure, or prevent disease. Preliminary research in test tubes or animal models suggests skullcap may be useful in the treatment of the following health conditions: Insomnia Inflammation Smooth muscle relaxation Allergic rhinitis COVID-19 Hepatitis Inflammatory bowel disease Cancer Type 2 diabetes Metabolic syndrome Brain and retinal ischemia Spinal cord injury Pregnancy-related diseases However, clinical trials in humans are needed to explore the health effects of skullcap fully. More research is needed to recommend it for any of these conditions. There are limited human trials for skullcap for two conditions: ankylosing spondylitis and gingivitis. Ankylosing Spondylitis Skullcap has been studied in people with a type of arthritis called ankylosing spondylitis (AS). AS mainly affects joints in the spine. In the clinical trial, skullcap was more effective than sulfasalazine, a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD), which is used off-label for AS. Along with improving AS symptoms, components in skullcap act as an antioxidant. Oxidative stress may cause damage to cells and tissues in the body. More human studies are needed to determine skullcap's effect on AS. Until more research is conducted, it's best to stick with standard treatments like physical therapy and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Gingivitis A review investigated the effects of baicalin, a component of skullcap, on gingivitis, a gum disease caused by plaque buildup. While results were promising, more data is needed before skullcap can be routinely recommended for gingivitis prevention. What Are the Side Effects of Skullcap? Your provider may recommend you take skullcap for inflammation or another use. However, consuming an herb like this one may have potential side effects. These side effects may be common and mild or less common and severe. Common Side Effects Skullcap is believed to be safe and well tolerated by adults, though data is scarce. In one 2021 study, one of skullcap's active ingredients, baicalein, was given as a single dose of up to 800 milligrams (mg) to 80 healthy adults. Only mild side effects were noted, including the following: Elevated C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level (a marker of inflammation in the body) High triglycerides Skullcap side effects are still being determined. Severe Side Effects There's not enough safety information to predict severe side effects of skullcap. Precautions People with the following conditions need to take additional precautions before taking skullcap: Diabetes: People with diabetes should not take skullcap without first consulting their healthcare provider. It may lower blood sugar and, in turn, increase the risk of hypoglycemia (lower blood sugar than is normal) if it's taken with other diabetes medicines like metformin or insulin. Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Skullcap should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. There's no safety data for these populations. Be sure to speak with your healthcare provider if you have any questions about skullcap. Dosage: How Much Skullcap Should I Take? Always speak with a healthcare provider before taking a supplement to ensure that the supplement and dosage are appropriate for your individual needs. There is no recommended daily allowance for skullcap and insufficient scientific evidence to determine an appropriate range of doses. What Happens If I Take Too Much Skullcap? There is not enough data to know if skullcap can cause toxicity. In a 2014 study, single doses of up to 2,800 mg of skullcap's major ingredient, baicalein, were well-tolerated in healthy adults, with no signs of liver or kidney toxicity. But a study in rats showed that high doses of baicalein, 800 to 1,600 milligrams per kilogram of body weight (mg/kg), were potentially toxic to the kidneys. More research is needed to determine to determine the risk for humans. Speak with your healthcare provider before taking any herb or supplement. Interactions Skullcap and its active ingredients have been found to have several drug interactions in preliminary studies. Skullcap has been shown to enhance the effect of the following prescription medications in test tube or animal studies: Chemotherapy drugs like cisplatin and fluorouracil Diabetes medicine metformin Antibiotics like ciprofloxacin and penicillins Parkinson's disease medicine levodopa Blood pressure medicine labetalol These interactions may or may not be clinically significant in humans. More trials are certainly needed. It is essential to carefully read the ingredients list and nutrition facts panel of a supplement to know which ingredients and how much of each ingredient is included. Please review this supplement label with your healthcare provider to discuss any potential interactions with foods, other supplements, and medications. Verywell / Anastasia Tretiak How to Store Skullcap Store skullcap according to manufacturer's advice, away from children and pets. Discard after one year or according to product directions. Similar Supplements Other herbs that have been studied for cancer include the following: Salvia (Salvia miltiorrhiza) Turmeric (Curcuma longa) Ginseng (Panax ginseng) Snake needle grass (Hedyotis diffusa) Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus) Sources of Skullcap & What to Look For Skullcap can be consumed as a tea or used in a variety of supplement forms. Food Sources of Skullcap Skullcap may be used to make a tea. It has a slightly bitter taste. It's not likely to be found as an ingredient in other commercially available foods in the United States. Skullcap Supplements Skullcap supplements are available online and in health food stores and pharmacies. It's sold in capsule and as an extract. Skullcap is often combined with other herbs into a preparation. Follow dosing recommendations on the label. When selecting a brand of supplements, look for products that have been certified by ConsumerLab.com, USP, or NSF. These third-party testers try to ensure that listed ingredients match what's in the product. They also test whether the product is free of harmful contaminants. Frequently Asked Questions What are the traditional uses of skullcap? The dried root of skullcap, known as Huang-Qin, has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for diarrhea, high blood pressure, hemorrhaging, insomnia, and respiratory infections.Of note, there have not been clinical trials in humans to support these traditional uses. What cancer types has skullcap been studied for? Preliminary studies suggest skullcap's active ingredients may benefit brain, breast, cervical, colon, esophageal, liver, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, and skin cancers, among others. Researchers noted that more safety, toxicity, and dosage studies are needed. Research in humans is needed. Is skullcap safe for children? Due to a lack of research findings supporting its use, skullcap is not recommended for use in children. Summary Due to limited research, it's too soon to recommend skullcap as a treatment for any condition. It's also important to note that self-treating a condition and avoiding or delaying standard care may have serious consequences. If you're considering using skullcap for any health purpose, please first consult your healthcare provider. 25 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Wang ZL, Wang S, Kuang Y, Hu ZM, Qiao X, Ye M. A comprehensive review on phytochemistry, pharmacology, and flavonoid biosynthesis of Scutellaria baicalensis. Pharm Biol. 2018;56(1):465-484. doi:10.1080/13880209.2018.1492620 Alsharairi NA. 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Pharm Biol. 2012;50(6):760-765. doi:10.3109/13880209.2011.631930 Mao D, He Z, Li L, et al. Recent Progress in Traditional Chinese Medicines and Their Mechanism in the Treatment of Allergic Rhinitis. J Healthc Eng. 2022;2022:3594210. Published 2022 Apr 11. doi:10.1155/2022/3594210 Idrees M, Khan S, Memon NH, Zhang Z. Effect of the Phytochemical Agents against the SARS-CoV and Some of them Selected for Application to COVID-19: A Mini-Review. Curr Pharm Biotechnol. 2021;22(4):444-450. doi:10.2174/1389201021666200703201458 Yang JY, Li M, Zhang CL, Liu D. Pharmacological properties of baicalin on liver diseases: a narrative review. Pharmacol Rep. 2021;73(5):1230-1239. doi:10.1007/s43440-021-00227-1 Wang X, Xie L, Long J, et al. Therapeutic effect of baicalin on inflammatory bowel disease: A review. J Ethnopharmacol. 2022;283:114749. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2021.114749 Banik K, Khatoon E, Harsha C, et al. Wogonin and its analogs for the prevention and treatment of cancer: A systematic review. Phytother Res. 2022;36(5):1854-1883. doi:10.1002/ptr.7386 Yingrui W, Zheng L, Guoyan L, Hongjie W. Research progress of active ingredients of Scutellaria baicalensis in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and its complications. Biomed Pharmacother. 2022;148:112690. doi:10.1016/j.biopha.2022.112690 Baradaran Rahimi V, Askari VR, Hosseinzadeh H. Promising influences of Scutellaria baicalensis and its two active constituents, baicalin, and baicalein, against metabolic syndrome: A review. Phytother Res. 2021;35(7):3558-3574. doi:10.1002/ptr.7046 Pan L, Cho KS, Yi I, To CH, Chen DF, Do CW. Baicalein, Baicalin, and Wogonin: Protective Effects against Ischemia-Induced Neurodegeneration in the Brain and Retina. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2021;2021:8377362. Published 2021 Jun 29. doi:10.1155/2021/8377362 Zhang P, Hölscher C, Ma X. Therapeutic potential of flavonoids in spinal cord injury. Rev Neurosci. 2017;28(1):87-101. doi:10.1515/revneuro-2016-0053 Fang DN, Zheng CW, Ma YL. Effectiveness of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi root in pregnancy-related diseases: A review. J Integr Med. 2023;21(1):17-25. doi:10.1016/j.joim.2022.09.005 Huang D, Liu J, Zong RK, Wan L. Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2020;45(2):451-456. doi:10.19540/j.cnki.cjcmm.20190619.501 Li X, Liu J, Fang Y, et al. Potential Therapeutic Mechanism of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi against Ankylosing Spondylitis Based on a Comprehensive Pharmacological Model. Biomed Res Int. 2022;2022:9887012. Published 2022 Dec 21. doi:10.1155/2022/9887012 Ming J, Zhuoneng L, Guangxun Z. Protective role of flavonoid baicalin from Scutellaria baicalensis in periodontal disease pathogenesis: A literature review. Complement Ther Med. 2018;38:11-18. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2018.03.010 Dong R, Li L, Gao H, et al. Safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and food effect of baicalein tablets in healthy Chinese subjects: A single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-dose phase I study. J Ethnopharmacol. 2021;274:114052. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2021.114052 Zhou X, Fu L, Wang P, Yang L, Zhu X, Li CG. Drug-herb interactions between Scutellaria baicalensis and pharmaceutical drugs: Insights from experimental studies, mechanistic actions to clinical applications. Biomed Pharmacother. 2021;138:111445. doi:10.1016/j.biopha.2021.111445 Li M, Shi A, Pang H, et al. Safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of a single ascending dose of baicalein chewable tablets in healthy subjects. J Ethnopharmacol. 2014;156:210-215. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2014.08.031 Zhang C, Wang N, Tan HY, Guo W, Li S, Feng Y. Targeting VEGF/VEGFRs Pathway in the Antiangiogenic Treatment of Human Cancers by Traditional Chinese Medicine. Integr Cancer Ther. 2018;17(3):582-601. doi:10.1177/1534735418775828 Cheng YY, Hsieh CH, Tsai TH. Concurrent administration of anticancer chemotherapy drug and herbal medicine on the perspective of pharmacokinetics. J Food Drug Anal. 2018;26(2S):S88-S95. doi:10.1016/j.jfda.2018.01.003 Sajeev A, Hegde M, Daimary UD, et al. Modulation of diverse oncogenic signaling pathways by oroxylin A: An important strategy for both cancer prevention and treatment. Phytomedicine. 2022;105:154369. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2022.154369 Additional Reading Bonham M, Posakony J, Coleman I, et al. Characterization of chemical constituents in Scutellaria baicalensis with antiandrogenic and growth-inhibitory activities toward prostate carcinoma. Clin Cancer Res. 2005;11(10):3905-14. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-04-1974 Brock C, Whitehouse J, Tewfik I, Towell T. American Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora): a randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study of its effects on mood in healthy volunteers. Phytother Res. 2014;28(5):692-8. doi: 10.1002/ptr.5044. Cheng Y, He G, Mu X, et al. Neuroprotective effect of baicalein against MPTP neurotoxicity: behavioral, biochemical and immunohistochemical profile. Neurosci Lett. 2008;441(1):16-20. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2008.05.116 Jin BR, Chung KS, Kim HJ, An HJ. Chinese Skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi) inhibits inflammation and proliferation on benign prostatic hyperplasia in rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 2019;235:481-488. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2019.01.039. Kim DH, Kim S, Jeon SJ, et al. The effects of acute and repeated oroxylin A treatments on Abeta(25-35)-induced memory impairment in mice. Neuropharmacology. 2008;55(5):639-47. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2008.05.019 Memorial Sloane Kettering Cancer Center. Scutellaria Baicalensis. https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/scutellaria-baicalensis Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Skull Cap. http://pennstatehershey.adam.com/content.aspx?productId=107&pid=33&gid=000273 By Megan Nunn, PharmD Megan Nunn, PharmD, is a community pharmacist in Tennessee with over twelve years of experience in medication counseling and immunization. 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