Scutellaria baicalensis root extract benefits

In our lives, Scutellaria baicalensis is a common Chinese medicine. When our body is infected by a certain kind of bacteria, we can use some Scutellaria baicalensis because it has a particularly good antibacterial effect. In fact, not only does Scutellaria baicalensis have the effect of curing diseases, but it can also extract some essences. Its essence can treat many diseases and is very effective for inflammation caused by fever. So what are the effects of Scutellaria baicalensis extract?

【Pharmacological effects and applications】

1. Antipyretic and anti-inflammatory: Chinese medicine prescribes medicine and treats according to syndrome differentiation. Excess heat syndrome is often guided by the principle of treating heat with cold. Scutellaria baicalensis is cold in nature, so it has a certain effect on the treatment of excess heat syndrome in clinical practice. In recent years, the antipyretic and anti-inflammatory mechanisms of Scutellaria baicalensis and its components have been studied in depth. Baicalin and baicalein can produce antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effects by interfering with the metabolic pathway of arachidonic acid and inhibiting the activity of cytokines.

2. Antimicrobial: Scutellaria baicalensis has a strong antimicrobial effect. Its decoction has a broad-spectrum antibacterial effect. In addition, it can resist a variety of fungi, viruses, mycoplasmas, chlamydia and other microorganisms. Scutellaria baicalensis and its active ingredients inhibit the growth of bacteria, fungi, and chlamydia, which may be related to its inhibition of ATP synthase, the formation of microbial capsules, and the expression of certain proteins. Modern research shows that baicalin has an effect on bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Micrococcus sessile, Staphylococcus hominis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and fungi such as Candida albicans.

Very good inhibitory effect; baicalin has shown a certain inhibitory effect on Helicobacter pylori, Staphylococcus aureus, yeast-type fungi, Chlamydia pneumoniae, etc. The latest study found that baicalin can increase the apoptosis rate of yeast-type fungi Candida albicans. Its mechanism may be related to baicalin inhibiting the activity of succinate dehydrogenase and Ca2+-Mg2+ ATPase, increasing the amount of Ca2+ in the cytoplasm and destroying the ultrastructure of Candida albicans. The combined use of baicalein and baicalin with gentamicin, fluconazole, β-lactam antibiotics, etc. will produce a synergistic effect and enhance the antibacterial effect.

3. Eliminate free radicals and resist oxidation: Free radicals are highly oxidizing and can damage the body's cells and tissues, leading to chronic diseases and aging. The molecular structure of flavonoid components in Scutellaria baicalensis contains phenolic hydroxyl groups, so they have certain free radical scavenging and antioxidant effects. Baicalein and baicalin are effective antioxidants in Scutellaria baicalensis, which have powerful scavenging effects on various free radicals, such as superoxide anions, hydrogen peroxidases, alkyl peroxyl radicals, and hydroxyl radicals. In addition, baicalein and baicalin can effectively inhibit the metabolism of xanthine oxidase to produce oxygen free radicals and can be used to treat diseases related to free radicals and oxidative stress.

4. Anti-tumor: With the deepening of research on Scutellaria baicalensis, it has been discovered that Scutellaria baicalensis has a certain inhibitory effect on various tumor cells. Baicalin, baicalein, wogonin and wogonin are the material basis of the anti-tumor effect of Scutellaria baicalensis, but their mechanisms are different. Baicalin can inhibit the proliferation of rat pancreatic islet cell tumor cells by inducing tumor cell apoptosis. Baicalein can cause human umbilical vein endothelial cells to arrest in the G1/S phase, inhibiting the formation of new blood vessels and thus producing an anti-tumor effect; baicalein can also inhibit the migration and invasion of skin cancer A431 cells to achieve anti-tumor purposes. The latest research found that wogonin can inhibit the growth of malignant glioma by inducing tumor cell apoptosis, while wogonin can upregulate the expression of natural killer cells (NK cells) GraB and others, enhance the effect of NK cells on gastric cancer MKN45 cells, and inhibit the growth of nude mouse transplanted tumors of the human ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3 by inhibiting the expression of tumor telomerase hTERT. Effects of total flavonoids from the stems and leaves of Scutellaria baicalensis on metastasis and invasion of tumor cells of Walker-256 tumor line. In summary, Scutellaria baicalensis has certain anti-tumor activity and a broad anti-tumor spectrum. It can act on multiple links of tumor cell growth and play an anti-tumor role.