Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Oxford, Mississippi » Natural Products Utilization Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #275865
Title: Scutellaria: traditional uses, medicinal properties, biotechnology and potential as a commercial crop

Author
item JOSHEE, NIRMAL - Fort Valley State University
item TASCAN, AYSE - Clemson University
item MEDINA-BOLIVAR, FABRICIO - Arkansas State University
item PARAJULI, PRAHLAD - Wayne State University
item Rimando, Agnes
item SHANNON, DENNIS - Auburn University
item ADELBERG, JEFFERY - Clemson University

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/21/2011
Publication Date: 8/9/2012
Citation: Joshee, N., Tascan, A., Medina-Bolivar, F., Parajuli, P., Rimando, A.M., Shannon, D.A., Adelberg, J.W. 2012. Scutellaria: traditional uses, medicinal properties, biotechnology and potential as a commercial crop. Book Chapter. 69-99.

Interpretive Summary: Plants of the genus Scutellaria (Family Lamiaceae) are distributed globally and are integral part of Eastern as well as traditional American medicine. Genus Scutellaria, commonly referred to as skullcap, is considered as a North American perennial plant. At present this genus is represented by 350-360 species. Many species are rare, threatened, or endangered. Habitat destruction, urbanization, and poor seed set are the few reasons behind diminishing population of many skullcaps. Many skullcap species have showy, beautiful blooms with great potential as ornamental plants. Skullcaps are used in alternative medicine as anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, to stimulate blood flow in the pelvic area and uterus, sedative, and tonic. More than 295 compounds have been isolated from Scutellaria species. We present a review of research carried out by various groups, covering aspects of phytochemical screening, biomedical studies, conservation, plant biotechnology, and developing skullcaps as premium crop. At Fort Valley State University a seed bank has been developed, and at present there are nineteen species. These species are also maintained in the greenhouse and through micropropagation. In this chapter, we also present significant headway that we have made in the areas of micropropagation, transformation for desired gene transfer and hairy root induction, extraction and chemical analysis of targeted flavonoids, and clinical role of select flavonoids.

Technical Abstract: Plants of the genus Scutellaria (Family Lamiaceae) are distributed globally and are integral part of Eastern as well as traditional American medicine. Genus Scutellaria, commonly referred to as skullcap, is considered as a North American perennial plant. At present this genus is represented by 350-360 species. Many species are rare, threatened, or endangered. Habitat destruction, urbanization, and poor seed set are the few reasons behind diminishing population of many skullcaps. Many skullcap species have showy, beautiful blooms with great potential as ornamental plants. Skullcaps are used in alternative medicine as anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, emmenagogue, nervine, sedative and strong tonic. More than 295 compounds have been isolated from Scutellaria species and majority of the compounds are flavonoids and diterpenes. We present a review of research carried out by various groups, covering aspects of phytochemical screening, biomedical studies, conservation, plant biotechnology, and developing it as a premium crop. We have developed a germplasm collection at Fort Valley State University and at present have nineteen species. These species are maintained in the greenhouse and through micropropagation. We also present significant headway that we have made in the areas of micropropagation, transformation for desired gene transfer and hairy root induction, extraction and HPLC analysis of targeted flavonoids, and clinical role of select flavonoids using glioma cell lines.