Chinese Skullcap (Scutellaria barbata): Benefits & Traditional Uses

Chinese skullcap, or Scutellaria barbata, is an herb that grows naturally in Korea and southern China. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine since ancient times, according to the Sloan-Kettering Institute.

Chinese Medicine

• The Chinese have long used Scutellaria barbata for hepatitis, bacterial infections, and inflammation. It is also used as a diuretic and a treatment for tumors, according to X. Yin and other researchers at the Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Possible Cancer Remedy

• Some modern studies have suggested tht Chinese skullcap may have anticancer activity associated with plant compounds called flavonoids, according to the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Chinese skullcap contains flavonoids like apigenin, luteolin and scutellarin.

Effects

• Lab studies have shown that the effects of Chinese skullcap include stimulating immune cell activity against tumors and inhibiting tumor cell protein, according to Sloan Kettering.