Baikal skullcap
Baikal skullcap, Scutellaria baicalensis, is a plant of the mint family whose root is used in traditional Chinese medicine. It contains flavonoids such as baicalin.
Also listed as Skullcap, Huang Qin, Scutellariae Radix, Goldenroot
What it is studied for
The strongest rated effects first. Bars show the size of the effect, the letter grades the evidence, and each rating lists the studies behind it.
Which skullcap is this?
Baikal or Chinese skullcap is Scutellaria baicalensis, used in traditional Chinese medicine. It is distinct from American skullcap, Scutellaria lateriflora. Its compounds include the flavonoid baicalin. 1 2
Why people take it
SuppCo community snapshot, 2026-09-28. Reasons for use are not evidence that it works.
Questions people ask
Is Baikal skullcap the same as American skullcap?
No. They are different Scutellaria species, and evidence should not be transferred between them without justification. 2
Can it replace metformin?
The human trial studied it alongside metformin, not as a replacement. 3
Does laboratory liver protection establish human safety?
No. The mouse findings and human reports of raised liver enzymes answer different questions. 3 4
Is a multi-herb arthritis result proof for skullcap alone?
No. MSK notes that its independent effect is unknown. 1
Sources
- Scutellaria baicalensis Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- Skullcap LiverTox, NIDDK, 2020
- Combined effects of Scutellaria baicalensis with metformin on glucose tolerance of patients with type 2 diabetes via gut microbiota modulation American Journal of Physiology: Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2020
- Combination of Scutellaria baicalensis and Metformin Ameliorates Diet-Induced Metabolic Dysregulation in Mice via the Gut-Liver-Brain Axis American Journal of Chinese Medicine, 2020