Baikal Skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis)

Also called Chinese skullcap, Scutellaria baicalensis, huang qin, Scutellariae radix, baicalin.

The short answer

From 15 sources

Baikal skullcap root supplies the flavonoids baicalin and baicalein. Most human trials tested blends: a baicalin-catechin product matched naproxen for knee osteoarthritis but was later linked to acute liver injury, and FDA asked for its recall in 2017. One trial reported lower blood lipids with 500 mg of baicalin a day. Liver-injury reports are the main safety concern.

Key facts

Versus naproxen
A baicalin-catechin blend (flavocoxid) at 500 mg twice daily performed like naproxen 500 mg twice daily over 12 weeks in 220 people with knee osteoarthritis1
Liver injury
4 cases of acute liver injury from flavocoxid in a US drug-induced liver injury network, all recovered after stopping; in December 2017 FDA asked the maker to recall all Limbrel (flavocoxid) products711
Joint blend cases
Two cases of liver toxicity attributed to Chinese skullcap in the joint supplement Move Free Advanced8
Baicalin lipids trial
500 mg/day baicalin for 12 weeks lowered triglycerides, total cholesterol and hs-CRP versus placebo in 374 people with coronary disease and rheumatoid arthritis3
Absorption
Oral baicalein reached peak blood levels within 2 hours; 200–600 mg doses were well tolerated in 36 healthy volunteers6
Drug interactions
Baicalin lowered rosuvastatin levels by up to 47% and sped up bupropion metabolism (CYP2B6) in healthy-volunteer studies1415

What it is

Baikal skullcap is the root of Scutellaria baicalensis (huang qin), rich in baicalin and baicalein; it is not American skullcap.

How it works

Proposed

Baicalin and baicalein are flavones from the root. Flavocoxid, which combines baicalin with catechins from Acacia catechu, was described as inhibiting the peroxidase activity of COX-1 and COX-2 and 5-lipoxygenase, enzymes that make inflammatory mediators. Effects of the whole root in people are less defined.1710

Forms, side by side

3 forms named in our sources. The rest show what our data holds, and say plainly where it holds nothing yet.

Baikal Skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis) forms compared

3 forms
Baikal Skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis) forms compared: 3 forms by 3 attributes. Empty cells are labelled No data yet, or Not graded in the evidence row.
3 formsRoot extract or powderBaicalin (isolated flavone glycoside)Baicalein tablets (investigational)
Absorption in peopleNot reported for the whole root in the cited abstracts.4Not reported in the trial abstract.3Rapidly absorbed, with peak plasma levels within 2 hours after repeated doses.6
GI toleranceSome participants had raised liver enzymes after 3.52 g/day of S. baicalensis for 8 weeks.4Reported over 12 weeks at 500 mg/day without safety signals in the abstract.3200–600 mg doses were generally safe and well tolerated over 10 days; adverse events were mild.6
Studied forGlucose tolerance with metformin; stress blendsBlood lipids and inflammation markersSafety and pharmacokinetics
  1. Root extract or powder
    Absorption in people
    Not reported for the whole root in the cited abstracts.4
    GI tolerance
    Some participants had raised liver enzymes after 3.52 g/day of S. baicalensis for 8 weeks.4
    Studied for
    Glucose tolerance with metformin; stress blends
  2. Baicalin (isolated flavone glycoside)
    Absorption in people
    Not reported in the trial abstract.3
    GI tolerance
    Reported over 12 weeks at 500 mg/day without safety signals in the abstract.3
    Studied for
    Blood lipids and inflammation markers
  3. Baicalein tablets (investigational)
    Absorption in people
    Rapidly absorbed, with peak plasma levels within 2 hours after repeated doses.6
    GI tolerance
    200–600 mg doses were generally safe and well tolerated over 10 days; adverse events were mild.6
    Studied for
    Safety and pharmacokinetics
Every cell holds data from a cited page; citation numbers link to the page that holds them.Scroll the table for every column

What the human research says

Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form line shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.

Trial map

6 graded outcomes, largest study first

6 graded outcomes: 5 improved, 1 no effect. The largest, a 2018 randomized trial of 374 people on blood lipids, hs-CRP and arthritis response, found an improvement.

1Blood lipids, hs-CRP and arthritis response

Improved · Grade C · RCT, 374 people, 2018

Patients with both coronary artery disease and rheumatoid arthritis

Dose, result and source
Every graded outcome on this page, largest study first
OutcomeFoundPeopleStudyWho was studied
Blood lipids, hs-CRP and arthritis responseImproved374Grade C · RCT, 2018Patients with both coronary artery disease and rheumatoid arthritis
Knee osteoarthritis symptoms (WOMAC, timed walk)Improved220Grade C · RCT, 2010Adults with moderate to severe knee osteoarthritis
Mild-to-moderate depressive symptomsImproved180Grade D · RCT, 2025Adults with mild-to-moderate depressive symptoms, split across four arms (scutellaria, saffron, both, placebo)
Knee osteoarthritis discomfort and global responseImproved103Grade D · Pilot RCT, 2009Adults with moderate knee osteoarthritis
Cognitive function in healthy adultsNo effect85No-effect grade · RCT, 2025Healthy adults (26 men, 59 women; mean age 43)
Mood, anxiety and cognition under stressImproved35Grade D · Crossover RCT, 2025Subjectively stressed but healthy adults aged 18–75 (43 enrolled, 35 analysed)
Each circle is one graded outcome on this page, numbered from the largest study down, and placed by how many people it studied (log scale). It shows who was studied and what was found, not advice about your dose.

Every graded row

6 rows

Showing 6 of 6 outcomes. Human trials only.

Grade CBlood lipids, hs-CRP and arthritis responseCholesterol & inflammationImprovedRCT
n 374 · 2018

Improved Versus placebo, triglycerides (1.12 vs 1.87 mmol/L), total cholesterol (2.87 vs 3.22 mmol/L) and hs-CRP (1.64 vs 3.9 mg/dL) were lower, and more patients had a good or moderate EULAR response (71% vs 53%).

Design
RCT, n = 374, 2018
Population
Patients with both coronary artery disease and rheumatoid arthritis
Form
Baicalin vs placebo
Dose
500 mg/day
Duration
12 weeks
Source
Reference 3 · PubMed 29935544 (opens PubMed)
Grade CKnee osteoarthritis symptoms (WOMAC, timed walk)OsteoarthritisImprovedRCT
n 220 · 2010

Improved More than 90% in both groups reported significant symptom reduction, with no significant efficacy difference between flavocoxid and naproxen. Flavocoxid had fewer upper-gut and oedema adverse events.

Design
RCT, n = 220, 2010
Population
Adults with moderate to severe knee osteoarthritis
Form
Flavocoxid (baicalin + catechin blend) vs naproxen
Dose
500 mg twice daily
Duration
12 weeks
Source
Reference 1 · PubMed 20845002 (opens PubMed)
Grade DMild-to-moderate depressive symptomsStress & moodMood helped (no figures)RCT
n 180 · 2025

Improved The scutellaria extract alone had a positive effect on mood regulation (the abstract gives no figures); the scutellaria-saffron combination improved depressive and anxious symptoms and emotional well-being vs placebo. Adverse effects were minimal.

Design
RCT, n = 180, 2025
Population
Adults with mild-to-moderate depressive symptoms, split across four arms (scutellaria, saffron, both, placebo)
Form
S. baicalensis extract (SCUTELL'UP), alone or with saffron
Dose
Not stated in the abstract
Duration
6 weeks
Source
Reference 13 · PubMed 40077679 (opens PubMed)
Grade DKnee osteoarthritis discomfort and global responseOsteoarthritisImprovedPilot RCT
n 103 · 2009

Improved Both groups improved significantly (P ≤ .001), with no detectable differences between flavocoxid and naproxen in outcomes or adverse events.

Design
Pilot RCT, n = 103, 2009
Population
Adults with moderate knee osteoarthritis
Form
Flavocoxid (baicalin + catechin blend) vs naproxen
Dose
500 mg twice daily
Duration
1 month
Source
Reference 2 · PubMed 19555810 (opens PubMed)
Grade DMood, anxiety and cognition under stressStress & moodImprovedCrossover RCT
n 35 · 2025

Improved Chronic use reduced total mood disturbance, anger/hostility and trait anxiety; working memory improved during a multitasking stressor. Cognitive effects were less consistent without the stressor. No serious adverse effects.

Design
Crossover RCT, n = 35, 2025
Population
Subjectively stressed but healthy adults aged 18–75 (43 enrolled, 35 analysed)
Form
Tablet combining S. baicalensis, hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata), magnesium and chromium vs placebo
Dose
Two tablets (component amounts not stated in the abstract)
Duration
15 days
Source
Reference 5 · PubMed 41194549 (opens PubMed)
No effectCognitive function in healthy adultsCognitionNo benefit vs placeboRCT
n 85 · 2025

No effect Cognitive scores improved over time in both groups with no difference from placebo; BDNF, CRP and safety blood markers did not differ, and no adverse events were reported.

Design
RCT, n = 85, 2025
Population
Healthy adults (26 men, 59 women; mean age 43)
Form
S. baicalensis stem extract + Acacia catechu heartwood extract (UP326)
Dose
240 mg S. baicalensis + 51 mg Acacia catechu a day
Duration
4 weeks
Source
Reference 12 · PubMed 39701593 (opens PubMed)

What the numbers add up to

Each point is worked out from the data and the sources numbered on this page, with the arithmetic shown under it. It adds no new data and is not medical advice.

The best data are on a blend

The largest trials tested flavocoxid, which mixes baicalin with catechins and was compared with naproxen, not placebo; they do not isolate skullcap's own effect.12

How we got this: Evidence table on this page

Liver reports recur across products

Liver injury has been linked to a baicalin-catechin blend and to a skullcap-containing joint formula, and some people taking the whole root with metformin had raised liver enzymes.478

How we got this: Safety section on this page

Studied doses

Doses used in research, shown against the official limits. They describe the studies, not a recommendation for you.

Studied doses in research, not advice. These are amounts used in research, not personal advice. Your clinician or pharmacist can say what fits you.

Doses studied in human trials

Doses studied in human trials ranged from 500 mg/day of baicalin for 12 weeks to 1,000 mg/day of the baicalin-catechin blend flavocoxid and 3.52 g/day of whole S. baicalensis for 8 weeks. These are research doses, not recommendations.134

Interactions and safety

Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.

What Baikal Skullcap meets

4 cited rows 3 tested together

Medicines 4

Baikal Skullcap4 medicines · 3 supplements

Supplements and foods 3

  • Measured in a human study
  • Tested together in a graded trial
Also cited: 3 tested together
  1. Bupropion (CYP2B6)

    • PK studyMeasured in a human study

      Bupropion (CYP2B6), for example Bupropion: In 17 healthy men, daily baicalin raised levels of bupropion's metabolite hydroxybupropion (peak +73%, AUC +87%), a sign that it induces the CYP2B6 enzyme; the authors call for study of other CYP2B6 drugs.

      Source 15, Eur J Clin Pharmacol (2009)

  2. Metformin

    • RCTMeasured in a human study

      Metformin, for example Metformin for type 2 diabetes: In an 8-week crossover trial, adding 3.52 g/day S. baicalensis to metformin improved glucose tolerance versus placebo, and some participants had raised liver enzymes.

      Source 4, Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab (2020)

  3. Rosuvastatin

    • PK studyMeasured in a human study

      Rosuvastatin, for example Rosuvastatin (carried into the liver by the OATP1B1 transporter): In 18 healthy volunteers, baicalin 50 mg three times daily for 14 days lowered rosuvastatin blood levels (AUC) by 47%, 21% or 9% depending on OATP1B1 genotype; the smallest change was not significant.

      Source 14, Clin Pharmacol Ther (2008)

  4. Warfarin and aspirin

    • PK studyMeasured in a human study

      Warfarin and aspirin, for example Warfarin, aspirin: In studies run by flavocoxid's maker, the baicalin-catechin blend did not increase bleeding time in healthy volunteers or change the anticoagulant effect (INR) of warfarin in people already taking it; the combination with aspirin was tested only in mice.

      Source 10, Adv Ther (2010)

  5. ChromiumChromium page

  6. HawthornHawthorn page

  7. MagnesiumMagnesium page

Rows as our evidence profiles cite them; links stay on this site. Line weight shows what backs a row, not how serious an interaction is. No line means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe. Not medical advice: ask your pharmacist.

Interactions

4 agents
Published interactions, grouped by kind
AgentWhat the source saysEvidence
Medicines4
Metformine.g. Metformin for type 2 diabetesIn an 8-week crossover trial, adding 3.52 g/day S. baicalensis to metformin improved glucose tolerance versus placebo, and some participants had raised liver enzymes.4RCT
Warfarin and aspirine.g. Warfarin, aspirinIn studies run by flavocoxid's maker, the baicalin-catechin blend did not increase bleeding time in healthy volunteers or change the anticoagulant effect (INR) of warfarin in people already taking it; the combination with aspirin was tested only in mice.10PK study
Rosuvastatine.g. Rosuvastatin (carried into the liver by the OATP1B1 transporter)In 18 healthy volunteers, baicalin 50 mg three times daily for 14 days lowered rosuvastatin blood levels (AUC) by 47%, 21% or 9% depending on OATP1B1 genotype; the smallest change was not significant.14PK study
Bupropion (CYP2B6)e.g. BupropionIn 17 healthy men, daily baicalin raised levels of bupropion's metabolite hydroxybupropion (peak +73%, AUC +87%), a sign that it induces the CYP2B6 enzyme; the authors call for study of other CYP2B6 drugs.15PK study

Check with what you take

Kept on this device only

Add what you take. We list every interaction our evidence profiles cite between Baikal Skullcap and your picks, and between your picks.

Most cited:

Add a supplement or medicine you take to check it against Baikal Skullcap.

Starting from one medicine? The interaction checker rates how serious each pair is, on a curated list of 19 entries for 11 medicines. This cabinet has no severity rating: it lists every interaction row our supplement pages cite.

Not medical advice, and no dosing advice. An empty result means no row we cite names that pair, by name or through a drug class we can link the medicine to, not that a combination is safe. Where our sources name only a group of medicines we cannot match, the cabinet says so. Ask your pharmacist before you combine supplements and medicines.

Who should be careful

4 groups
People with liver disease or past herb-related liver injury
Acute liver injury has been reported with the baicalin-catechin product flavocoxid, which FDA asked to be recalled in 2017, and with Chinese skullcap in a joint supplement; injuries resolved after stopping.7811
People with type 2 diabetes on medication
Adding the root to metformin changed glucose tolerance and raised liver enzymes in some participants, so effects add to existing therapy.4
People taking rosuvastatin or bupropion
Baicalin lowered rosuvastatin blood levels and sped up bupropion metabolism in healthy volunteers, which could change how these drugs work.1415
Pregnancy, breastfeeding and children
No reliable data: the cited trials enrolled adults only, and LactMed has no entry for skullcap or baicalin.36
Talk to your pharmacist or clinician before starting a supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines.

Liver injury

5 notes

The main safety signal, from case series.

LiverTox rating
LiverTox rates skullcap B, a very likely but rare cause of clinically apparent liver injury. Its entry covers North American skullcap (S. lateriflora) and notes several reports of acute liver injury 1 to 3 months after starting products containing Chinese skullcap (S. baicalensis).9
Flavocoxid
Among 877 patients in a US liver-injury network, 4 women aged 57–68 had injury suspected from flavocoxid, starting 1–3 months after the first dose; all recovered within 3–12 weeks of stopping.7
FDA recall request
In December 2017 FDA asked the maker to recall all Limbrel (flavocoxid) products. It cited 194 adverse event reports received from 2007 to November 2017 that showed a close relationship with drug-induced liver injury, pancreatitis and hypersensitivity pneumonitis, a lung condition, and called the products unapproved new drugs.11
Joint supplement
Two patients developed liver toxicity on Move Free Advanced, which contains Chinese skullcap; it resolved after stopping, and the authors judged skullcap the most likely cause.8
Whole root
Some participants had raised liver enzymes after 8 weeks of 3.52 g/day S. baicalensis with metformin.4

How to read the label

What to check on the Supplement Facts panel.

How to read the label

2 checks
Baikal skullcap vs American skullcap

'Skullcap' sold for anxiety, stress and sleep is a Native American plant, which LiverTox has linked to liver injury, usually in combination with other botanicals. Check the Latin name: Baikal skullcap is Scutellaria baicalensis.9

Hidden in joint formulas

Chinese skullcap can appear inside joint products under a proprietary extract name; in Move Free Advanced it was part of 'Uniflex' with black catechu.8

Frequently asked questions

Short answers to common questions; the numbers link to the sources below.

Common questions

6 answers
Does it help joint pain?

A baicalin-catechin blend performed like naproxen in knee osteoarthritis trials, but there was no placebo group, the product was later linked to liver injury, and FDA asked for its recall in 2017.1711

Can it affect the liver?

Yes. Liver injury has been reported with the flavocoxid blend and with a joint supplement containing Chinese skullcap; people recovered after stopping.78

Does baicalin lower cholesterol?

One 12-week trial of 500 mg/day in people with coronary disease and rheumatoid arthritis reported lower triglycerides and total cholesterol; it has not been repeated.3

Does Baikal skullcap interact with statins?

Baicalin, a main flavone in the root, lowered rosuvastatin blood levels by up to 47% in 18 healthy volunteers over 14 days, depending on genotype. Other statins were not tested in that study.14

Does it interact with blood thinners?

Studies run by the maker of the flavocoxid blend found no change in bleeding time in healthy volunteers or in warfarin's effect; the aspirin combination was tested only in mice, and the whole root has not been studied this way.10

Is it the same as skullcap tea for anxiety?

No. Skullcap sold for anxiety, stress and sleep is a Native American plant, different from Scutellaria baicalensis root.9

Sources

15 sources: trial abstracts, NIH fact sheets and reference databases. Numbers in the text link here.

Sources cited on this page

15 sources
  1. 1Efficacy and safety of flavocoxid, a novel therapeutic, compared with naproxen: a randomized multicenter controlled trial in subjects with osteoarthritis of the knee.RCT Adv Ther, 2010 · PMID 20845002
  2. 2Flavocoxid is as effective as naproxen for managing the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee in humans: a short-term randomized, double-blind pilot study.Pilot RCT Nutr Res, 2009 · PMID 19555810
  3. 3Baicalin reduces blood lipids and inflammation in patients with coronary artery disease and rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.RCT Lipids Health Dis, 2018 · PMID 29935544
  4. 4Combined effects of Scutellaria baicalensis with metformin on glucose tolerance of patients with type 2 diabetes via gut microbiota modulation.Crossover RCT Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, 2020 · PMID 31770016
  5. 5Effects of a Scutellaria baicalensis/Crataegus laevigata, magnesium and chromium supplement on stressed individuals: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial.Crossover RCT J Psychopharmacol, 2025 · PMID 41194549
  6. 6Safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of oral baicalein tablets in healthy Chinese subjects: A single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multiple-ascending-dose study.PK study Clin Transl Sci, 2021 · PMID 34156161
  7. 7Acute liver injury due to flavocoxid (Limbrel), a medical food for osteoarthritis: a case series.Observational Ann Intern Med, 2012 · PMID 22711078
  8. 8Hepatotoxicity associated with chinese skullcap contained in Move Free Advanced dietary supplement: two case reports and review of the literature.Observational Pharmacotherapy, 2010 · PMID 20586134
  9. 9Skullcap.Database LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury (NIDDK; entry updated 2020), 2012 · PMID 31644066
  10. 10Flavocoxid, an anti-inflammatory agent of botanical origin, does not affect coagulation or interact with anticoagulation therapies.PK study Adv Ther, 2010 · PMID 20556559
  11. 11FDA Requested Recall: Primus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Limbrel/flavocoxid), December 18, 2017Safety communication U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2017 · fda.gov
  12. 12Effects of Acacia catechu and Scutellaria baicalensis extract on cognitive function in a healthy adult population: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.RCT Nutr Neurosci, 2025 · PMID 39701593
  13. 13The Effects of Combined Scutellaria and Saffron Supplementation on Mood Regulation in Participants with Mild-to-Moderate Depressive Symptoms: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study.RCT Nutrients, 2025 · PMID 40077679
  14. 14The effect of herbal medicine baicalin on pharmacokinetics of rosuvastatin, substrate of organic anion-transporting polypeptide 1B1.PK study Clin Pharmacol Ther, 2008 · PMID 17851565
  15. 15Induction of cytochrome P450 2B6 activity by the herbal medicine baicalin as measured by bupropion hydroxylation.PK study Eur J Clin Pharmacol, 2009 · PMID 19066872

What changed

Every dated change to this page: what changed, who made it and why.

Change log

4 entries
Dated changes to this page
DateChangeWho and why
evidence; interactions; key facts; who should be careful; liver safety; FAQ; questions; relatedSearched PubMed for Scutellaria baicalensis, baicalin, baicalein and flavocoxid trials, meta-analyses and pharmacokinetic studies through 2026. Added two 2025 graded rows: a skullcap stem + Acacia catechu blend (UP326) with no cognitive benefit over placebo in 85 adults, and a four-arm scutellaria/saffron mood trial (180 people; grade D, the scutellaria-alone result has no figures). Added two documented drug interactions from healthy-volunteer studies (baicalin lowered rosuvastatin levels by up to 47% by genotype; induced CYP2B6 metabolism of bupropion) and a matching caution, the LiverTox likelihood score (B) in the liver section, a statin FAQ in place of the 'What is' item that repeated an auto-generated question, page questions and goal-hub links. Pregnancy note now records that LactMed has no entry. No meta-analysis of human trials on skullcap alone was found; the remaining reviews were preclinical or of multi-herb formulas.Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: A–Z audit against docs/supplements/AUDIT-STANDARD.md
GoalsAdded the Brain & focus goal (focus): the page already has a graded human row on a memory or thinking outcome (“Mood, anxiety and cognition under stress”, Grade D). No evidence row, grade or text changed.Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: Update
allIndependent adversarial review: added FDA's December 2017 recall request for Limbrel (flavocoxid), citing 194 adverse event reports including liver injury, pancreatitis and hypersensitivity pneumonitis; narrowed the blood-thinner interaction (the aspirin combination was tested only in mice) and noted these were maker-run studies; flagged the maker ties of the flavocoxid trials and the stress-blend trial; noted the lipid trial's internally inconsistent LDL figures; reworded the whole-root insight from liver injury to raised liver enzymes.Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: review
allInitial editorial evidence review (first draft). Every PMID checked against NCBI E-utilities esummary (titles and years taken from the record, none retracted) and the abstract read for each cited row. Studied doses are reported as research doses, not dosing advice.Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: new page

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