Skullcap (herb) - Useful Properties And Use Of Skullcap, Skullcap Root, Skullcap Tincture, Baikal Skullcap, Ordinary, Altai

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43

Scullcap

Useful properties and use of skullcap tincture

Botanical characteristics of skullcap

Skullcap is a large genus of herbaceous plants of the Lamiaceae family, or Labiatae. The leaves are petiolar, more often crenate or serrated, less often whole-edged or slightly dissected.

The flower of the plant has a bell-shaped calyx, two-lipped (the upper lip is helmet-shaped, the lower one is flat) with a concave comb. Taken together, all flowers are spike or racemose inflorescences at the tops of the stems. Fruits-nuts are oblate-spherical or ovoid, warty, pubescent, can be smooth. Ripe fruits shoot seeds when touched. Many species of skullcap are decorative, some are medicinal plants, but all of them are dyeing herbs.

Useful properties of skullcap

Common scullcap, Baltic, Altai are widely used in folk and official medicine in many countries. Their roots contain essential oils, flavonoids, starch, tannins, pyrocatechols, and resins. They contain many saponins and coumarins, potassium, calcium, magnesium. Plants can be called very useful because of their content of iron, manganese, copper, zinc, cobalt, molybdenum and iodine.

The medicinal plant has pronounced anti-asthma and histamine properties. In Tibetan and Chinese medicine, the herb is valued as an antineoplastic and anti-sclerotic agent. It strengthens the immune system, has an antihelminthic effect. Studies have shown the presence of the glycoside scutellarin in the plant.

Scutellaria application

The herb is used for chronic fatigue, heart dysfunctions, neuroses, irritations associated with premenstrual syndrome. As a natural stimulant and tonic, skullcap is considered the most effective drug with antihypertensive and soothing properties. Anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects make it possible to use it for colds, to eliminate headaches.

This is one of the most versatile herbs that can expand blood vessels, normalize heart rate, and prevent convulsive phenomena. Among other things, skullcap has a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract, liver function. taking funds from skullcap has a therapeutic effect on bile stasis, constipation. With long-term use, the plant does not cause addiction and negative effects. It is prescribed in the initial stages of hypertension, with insomnia, myocarditis. There is an improvement in health and performance.

This miracle plant improves well-being in case of toxicosis during pregnancy. In China, traditional healers recommend an ointment based on it for wound healing. Skullcap is used for bronchitis, pneumonia. There is also information that the herb is a good remedy even for the prevention of rabies. And yet its main purpose is strengthening, softening, sedative, it is low-toxic.

Infusion of skullcap: pour 1 teaspoon of raw materials with a glass of boiling water, let it brew in a thermos for 2 hours, strain and take 1 tablespoon 4-5 times a day before meals.

Scutellaria root

Scutellaria root is a well-known medicinal raw material that came to European medicine from the East. Rhizomes and roots are harvested in autumn, during the period of maximum concentration of accumulation of biologically active substances. The raw materials contain vitamins and minerals, are choleretic, expectorant and diuretic. It is included in the complex treatment of diabetes mellitus, shortness of breath, pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis, nephritis, meningitis, and is prescribed during the period of influenza, cholera, and anthrax.

There is experience in the effective treatment of mumps and various infectious diseases. Root preparations reduce the thyroid gland, stop the growth of metastases in the presence of tumors. Outwardly, agents from the skullcap root are used for skin diseases, allergic dermatoses.

Scutellaria tincture

Crushed dry roots must be poured with 70% alcohol (1: 5) or vodka, insist in a dark place for a week and take 20-30 drops 2-3 times a day, diluted with water. The tincture is used as a hemostatic, appetite-stimulating and digestion-normalizing agent. It is also used for helminthic invasion.

The tincture increases the strength of the blood flow, slows down the contractions of the heart, lowers the tone and relieves spasms of the smooth muscles of the intestine. It is ideal for the complex treatment of hypertension and, in terms of its pharmacological properties, is not inferior to valerian tincture.

Scutellaria extract

The herb extract has a healing and hemostatic effect; its intake is desirable for non-healing wounds and bleeding gums. Postoperative sutures heal especially well. The medicinal drug lowers blood cholesterol levels, reduces the likelihood of blood clots, is an excellent defense against various viruses and infections, and also improves the functioning of the stomach and intestines, helps to eliminate constipation.

The product stimulates the formation of collagen and elastin, improves skin elasticity. Displaying anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, the extract improves metabolic processes in the dermis, accelerates the process of cell renewal.

Baikal skullcap

The plant is found in the Far East, Mongolia, and Transbaikalia. It prefers to inhabit steppes, dry stony and clayey slopes.

This herb for medicinal purposes is harvested in the fall. In the case of drying at 40 degrees, the numerous flavonoids found in the plant, such as baicalin, baicalein, oroxylin A, wogonin, scutelarin and others, are preserved. Decoctions and herbal infusions are also saturated with tannins, steroids, coumarins, resins and essential oils.

It is known that the older the plant, the stronger its active ingredients.

Various medical sources mention the use of skullcap of Baikal for uterine and other internal bleeding. Indications for the use of the root can be bloody vomiting, coughing up blood, nosebleeds, dyspepsia, epilepsy, acute rheumatism, whooping cough.

Common scullcap

Skullcap is a perennial herb with opposite, oblong-lanceolate leaves with wide obtuse serrations and two-lipped, bluish-purple flowers. This species grows in the regions of the European part of Russia and the Caucasus.

The herb contains the glycoside scutellarin, which lowers blood pressure and reduces the excitability of the nervous system. In bronchitis and tuberculosis, skullcap dilutes thick phlegm, allowing the bronchi and lungs to get rid of it. The plant has diuretic, astringent and hemostatic properties.

Infusion of skullcap ordinary: 1 teaspoon of fresh or dry herbs must be poured with 250 ml of boiling water, leave for 1 hour, drain. Take the resulting medicine 1-2 tablespoons 3-4 times a day.

Altai skullcap

The habitats of Altai skullcap are rocky slopes, pebbles in the regions of Siberia and the Altai Territory. The plant has a long root, stems ascending, erect, pubescent. Oval leaves are rounded at the base, cordate, crenate-toothed along the edge, pubescent from below and from above with appressed hairs. The flowers are green or slightly purple. The plant has the same qualities as the rest of the species.

In folk medicine, Altai skullcap is used as a strengthening, sedative. It is recommended to take it for palpitations, myocarditis, pulmonary diseases, colds, since the roots of the plant have a softening, expectorant and antipyretic effect.

Contraindications to the use of skullcap

This plant is not a panacea for all diseases, it is not a medicine, so infusions and decoctions from it can be taken during complex therapy after a medical consultation. The herb is contraindicated for children under 12 years of age, pregnant women, lactating mothers and with individual intolerance.

The author of the article: Sokolova Nina Vladimirovna | Phytotherapist

Education: Diploma in "General Medicine" and "Therapy" received at the Pirogov University (2005 and 2006). Advanced training at the Department of Phytotherapy at the Peoples' Friendship University of Moscow (2008).