Herb module
Huang Qin
Chinese SkullcapScutellaria baicalensis
Chinese skullcap's golden root is used to cool Heat, dry Dampness, and calm rising Liver Yang, appearing in two Zoi formulas.
Huang Qin is a cooling herb that Traditional Chinese Medicine turns to when Heat and Dampness build up, especially in the Lungs and digestive tract. Zoi uses it in Metabolic Balance™, where it sits right after Huang Lian, and in Lung Meridian™. Modern research focuses on its yellow compounds, baicalin and baicalein.
Best functions
- Traditionally used to clear Heat and dry Dampness
- Drains Fire and detoxifies
- Cools the Blood and stops bleeding
- Calms rising Liver Yang
- Research has looked at how baicalin and baicalein calm inflammatory pathways and protect nerve cells
Fascinating facts
- Chinese skullcap is a member of the mint family, with tubular blue-purple flowers. 'Skullcap' comes from the small helmet-shaped cup at the base of each flower.
- The root is used. It is golden yellow inside, which fits its Chinese name: 'Huang' means yellow.
- In Zoi's Metabolic Balance™ formula, Huang Qin and Huang Lian are the first two herbs listed, two cooling yellow roots working side by side.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine
Huang Qin is cold in nature with a bitter flavor, and it is known as a Heat-clearing herb. It enters the Lung, Stomach, Gallbladder, and Large Intestine channels. The Lung Meridian™ sheet also lists the Small Intestine channel.
Biomedical deep dive
Huang Qin Chinese Skullcap
From the Zoi Medicinals fact sheets’ Biomedical Details, with lines from Noa’s herb notes marked “Noa’s notes”.
On the fact sheet
- Huang Qin (Scutellariae Rhizoma) is cold and enters the LU, ST, GB, and LI meridians; clears Heat and drains Damp, drains Fire and detoxifies, cools Blood and stops bleeding, clears Heat and calms the fetus, and calms Liver Yang rising. Metabolic Balance sheet
- Huang Qin (Chinese skullcap, Scutellaria baicalensis) is cold and enters the LU, ST, GB, LI and SI channels; clears heat, dries Damp, drains Fire and detoxifies, cools the Blood and stops bleeding, calms the fetus and calms rising Liver Yang. Lung Meridian sheet
Key active constituents
- Berberine: the Metabolic Balance sheet groups Huang Qin with Huang Lian as herbs high in berberine (see conflicts).
Pharmacology and mechanisms
- The Lung Meridian sheet lists skullcap (Huang Qin in this formula) among herbs with strong anti-inflammatory action specific to the respiratory tract.
- The Metabolic Balance sheet lists skullcap (Huang Qin in this formula) among its gastro-protective and liver-protective herbs.
- The Metabolic Balance sheet says berberine-rich herbs like Huang Qin have shown effects on metabolism, food cravings, weight, blood sugar, cholesterol and triglycerides.
- Baicalin and baicalein are its primary flavonoid (plant pigment) constituents. Noa’s notes
- Mast cell stabilization: helps keep mast cells from releasing histamine. Noa’s notes
- Anti-inflammatory: inhibits NF-κB, COX-2 and 5-LOX (enzymes that make inflammatory messengers). Noa’s notes
- Antioxidant: reduces oxidative stress. Noa’s notes
- Antibacterial against gram-positive bacteria; antiviral against influenza. Noa’s notes
- Neuroprotective; crosses the blood-brain barrier. Noa’s notes
- Studied for allergic conditions, intestinal inflammation, insulin sensitivity, neuroprotection, anti-proliferative effects and antiviral activity. Noa’s notes
What the research says
- In mice, skullcap improved survival and lowered flu virus load, and protected against Staph aureus infection (Wang et al., Pharm Biol 2018).
- Baicalein (a skullcap flavonoid) eased liver inflammation in diabetic mice by calming the TLR4/NF-κB inflammatory pathway (Yin et al., Int Immunopharmacol 2018).
Safety, interactions and cautions
- Every Zoi fact sheet: do not use if pregnant or breastfeeding unless directed by your health care practitioner.
- The Metabolic Balance fact sheet cautions that the formula may be contraindicated with prescription blood thinners or anti-diabetic drugs.
- May enhance anticoagulants; monitor if on warfarin. Noa’s notes
- May lower blood pressure; monitor if on antihypertensive medicines. Noa’s notes
- Avoid combining with immunosuppressant medicines without supervision. Noa’s notes
- Pregnancy: traditional caution. Noa’s notes
- Caution with Spleen and Stomach deficiency Cold and with Blood deficiency without Heat. Noa’s notes
- Metabolic Balance™ is not for everyday use in children. It can be used short term to support the gut with parasites or gut infections in children, at 1 dropper full 3x per day. Always review an infection with your physician.
In these Zoi formulas
- ★ Metabolic Balance (#2 on the fact sheet)
- Lung Meridian (#6 on the fact sheet)
