Scutellaria lateriflora
| Scutellaria lateriflora | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Genus: | Scutellaria |
| Species: | S. lateriflora |
| Binomial name | |
| Scutellaria lateriflora L. |
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Scutellaria lateriflora, also known as Blue Skullcap, Hoodwort, Virginian Skullcap, Mad-dog Skullcap[1] is a hardy perennial herb native to North America. It is a member of the mint family. It has an upright habit, growing 60 to 80 centimeters in maximum height.[2][3] It is a wetland-loving species and grows near marshes, meadows, and other wet habitat. The blue flowers are just under a centimeter long.[2][3] 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.
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[edit] Traditional uses
Scutellaria lateriflora is used in herbal medicine as a mild sedative and sleep promoter.[citation needed] Scutellaria as a genus has numerous medicinal uses and various species of skullcap are used in similar ways.[citation needed] The traditional uses of Blue Skullcap should not be confused with those of other Skullcaps as there are over 350 different species of Skullcap and they are not all used in the same way. Blue Skullcap is used like Common Skullcap (S. galericulata), Western Skullcap (S. canescens), and Southern Skullcap (S. cordifolia), all of which are genetically similar.[4] Blue Skullcap and Common Skullcap are mainly known for their traditional use as an incense and herbal tea.
Scutellaria lateriflora has been found in a small-scale double blind, placebo-controlled study to have anxiety-reducing effects in 19 volunteers.[5]
More than 295 chemical compounds have been isolated from Scutellaria, among them flavonoids and diterpenes. Studies show that Scutellaria and its active principles possess wide pharmacological actions, such as antitumor, anti-angiogenesis, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, anticonvulsant, antibacterial and antiviral activities.[not in citation given][6]
β-Elemene found in the herb has potential anti-cancer properties in vitro,[7] but studies in humans have not yet confirmed its effectiveness.[8] In vitro, diterpenes isolated from Scutellaria barbata showed cytotoxic activities against three human cancer cell lines.[9]
Scutellaria lindbergii exerts cytotoxic effects in different cancer cell lines.[10][11],[12]
[edit] Pharmacology
| Chemical | Concentration (mg/g) |
|---|---|
| alpha-cubebene | 42 |
| alpha-humulene | 42 |
| beta-elemene | 92 |
| calamenene | 152 |
| delta-cadinene | 270 |
| Chemical | Concentration (mg/g) |
|---|---|
| carbohydrates | 780 |
| ascorbic acid | 1 |
| baicalin | 10[13] |
| scutellarin | |
| scutellarein | |
| tannin | 28-35 |
| wax | 12 |
Scutellarin is transformed by hydrolysis into scutellarein.
The principal phenolics in the leaves, stems, and roots of some Scutellaria species are baicalin, baicalein and wogonin.[14] Baicalin is known to be anti-inflammatory and analgesic.[15][16] Another study identifies 5,6,7-trihydroxy-2'- methoxyflavone and its 7-O-glucuronide.[17] 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.[18] Blue Skullcap also contains a glucuronide of chrysin.
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 about 50 milligrams of flavonoid per gram. The flavonoids are readily extracted using hot water.[16]
[edit] See also
- Anxiety
- Anxiolytic
- Herbalism
- Sedative
- Special Herbs, Vols. 4, 5 & 6
- Special Herbs, Vols. 5 & 6
- Valerian (herb)
[edit] References
- ^ mad dog, n. -compounds Oxford English Dictionary - mad dog because it was a supposed cure for hydrophobia,
- ^ a b Jepson Manual Treatment
- ^ a b Washington Burke Museum
- ^ P. Wolfson, MD, and D.L. Hoffmann, FNIMH, Alternative therapies, mar/apr 2003, VOL. 9, NO. 2 75.
- ^ Wolfson, P; Hoffmann, DL (2003). "An investigation into the efficacy of Scutellaria lateriflora in healthy volunteers". Alternative therapies in health and medicine 9 (2): 74–8. PMID 12652886.
- ^ Secondary metabolite mapping identifies Scutellaria inhibitors of human lung cancer cells. Gao J. Zhao H. Hylands PJ. Corcoran O. Journal of Pharmaceutical & Biomedical Analysis. 53(3):723-8, 2010 Nov 2. UI: 20457505
- ^ Antineoplastic effect of beta-elemene on prostate cancer cells and other types of solid tumour cells. Li QQ. Wang G. Huang F. Banda M. Reed E. Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmacology. 62(8):1018-27, 2010 Aug. [Journal Article. Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural. Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't] UI: 20663036
- ^ Peng, X; Zhao, Y; Liang, X; Wu, L; Cui, S; Guo, A; Wang, W (2006). "Assessing the quality of RCTs on the effect of beta-elemene, one ingredient of a Chinese herb, against malignant tumors". Contemporary clinical trials 27 (1): 70–82. doi:10.1016/j.cct.2005.07.002. PMID 16243588.
- ^ Two new cytotoxic ent-clerodane diterpenoids from Scutellaria barbata. Qu GW. Yue XD. Li GS. Yu QY. Dai SJ. Journal of Asian Natural Products Research. 12(10):859-64, 2010 Oct. [Journal Article. Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't] UI: 20924899
- ^ Growth-inhibitory effect of Scutellaria lindbergii in human cancer cell lines. Tayarani-Najaran Z. Mousavi SH. Asili J. Emami SA. Food & Chemical Toxicology. 48(2):599-604, 2010 Feb. UI: 19932732
- ^ Liu J, Zhang Y, Qu J, Xu L, Hou K, Zhang J, Qu X, Liu Y.,"β-Elemene-induced autophagy protects human gastric cancer cells from undergoing apoptosis". BMC Cancer. 2011;11:183
- ^ Wu XS, Xie T, Lin J, Fan HZ, Huang-Fu HJ, Ni LF, Yan HF.,"An investigation of the ability of elemene to pass through the blood-brain barrier and its effect on brain carcinomas." J Pharm Pharmacol. 2009 Dec;61(12):1653-6
- ^ P.H. and Horhammer, L., Hager's Handbuch der Pharmazeutischen Praxis, Vols. 2-6, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1969-1979.
- ^ Nishikawa, et al. Phenolics in tissue cultures of Scutellaria. Natural Medicines 53: 209-213,1999
- ^ Anesth Analg 2003;97:1724-1729
- ^ a b 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
- ^ 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.
- ^ Medina, et al. , Overview-Flavonoids: A new family of benzodiazapine receptor ligands. Neurochem Res. 199722 (4): 419.
[edit] External links
- Connecticut Botanical Society: Scutellaria lateriflora
- Plants For A Future: Scutellaria lateriflora
- USDA Plants Profile: Scutellaria lateriflora
- Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases
- Skullcap herb info
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