Chinese Skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis)

Chinese skullcap is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine. It has been reported to “have anti-asthmatic, antifungal, antioxidative, and anti-inflammatory activities.”¹

One study’s results “confirm[ed] the strong anti-inflammatory properties of SB [Scutellaria baicalensis, or Chinese Skullcap] by inhibition of iNOS, COX-2, PGE2, IL-1beta, IL-2, IL-6, IL-12 and TNF-alpha expression.” The same study reasoned that this was done “through the down-regulation of IKKalphabeta, IkappaBalpha, NF-kappaB activation via suppression of c-Raf-1/MEK1/2 (Mitogen-activated protein kinase/ERK kinase) and MAP kinase phosphorylation in the zymosan-induced mice air-pouch and Raw 264.7 cells.”²

¹https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20979538
²https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19699788