Skullcap
Research reviewed: Up until 03/2026
Skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis) is a dietary supplement with 11 published peer-reviewed studies involving 336 participants, researched for Anxiety & Mood, Anti-inflammatory & Immune, Metabolic & Liver Health and 2 more areas.
Evidence at a Glance
Strength is scored by study design, sample size, study type, and outcomes
Anxiety & Mood
StrongAnti-inflammatory & Immune
StrongMetabolic & Liver Health
StrongAntioxidant & Neuroprotection
ModerateAnxiety & Stress Management
ModerateResearch Visualised
Visual breakdown of the clinical data.
Study Quality Breakdown
What types of studies were conducted
Participants Per Study
Larger samples = more reliable results
Research Timeline
When the studies were published
All Studies
Detailed breakdown of each trial. Click to expand.
Anxiety & Mood
To evaluate American skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) on mood and anxiety
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover
Purpose
To evaluate American skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) on mood and anxiety
Dose
350 mg skullcap extract
Participants
43 healthy adults
Duration
2-week crossover
Results
Significant improvements in global mood and anxiety (POMS, p=0.003). Cognitive performance unimpaired. Modest but clinically meaningful anxiolytic effects without sedation.
How They Measured It
POMS, STAI, global mood rating, cognitive measures
To assess Baicalin (Scutellaria baicalensis) on anxiety in healthy adults
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To assess Baicalin (Scutellaria baicalensis) on anxiety in healthy adults
Dose
250 mg/day baicalin extract
Participants
40 healthy adults with mild anxiety
Duration
4 weeks
Results
Significant reduction in GAD-7 and STAI-state scores (p=0.03). Salivary cortisol levels reduced. Cognitive performance maintained. Anxiolytic effects consistent.
How They Measured It
STAI, GAD-7, salivary cortisol, cognitive tests
Anti-inflammatory & Immune
To evaluate Scutellaria baicalensis extract on inflammatory markers in healthy adults
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To evaluate Scutellaria baicalensis extract on inflammatory markers in healthy adults
Dose
400 mg/day baicalein-enriched extract
Participants
45 healthy adults with elevated CRP
Duration
8 weeks
Results
Significant reduction in CRP (26%), IL-6 (21%), and TNF-alpha (18%) vs placebo. NF-kB activity reduced. Anti-inflammatory profile confirmed.
How They Measured It
CRP, IL-6, TNF-alpha, NF-kB
To assess Scutellaria supplementation on upper respiratory infections
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To assess Scutellaria supplementation on upper respiratory infections
Dose
300 mg/day Scutellaria baicalensis
Participants
62 healthy adults (winter season)
Duration
12 weeks prophylactic
Results
Significant reduction in URTI incidence (1.3 vs 2.1 episodes, p=0.03). Symptom severity lower. NK cell activity improved. Mucosal IgA elevated.
How They Measured It
URTI symptom scores, NK cell activity, IL-6, IgA
Metabolic & Liver Health
To evaluate Scutellaria extract on metabolic syndrome parameters
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To evaluate Scutellaria extract on metabolic syndrome parameters
Dose
500 mg/day Scutellaria baicalensis
Participants
50 adults with metabolic syndrome
Duration
12 weeks
Results
Significant reductions in fasting glucose (10%), HOMA-IR (16%), and triglycerides (15%) vs placebo. Blood pressure trends toward reduction. Metabolic syndrome components improved.
How They Measured It
Fasting glucose, HOMA-IR, lipids, blood pressure
To assess baicalin on liver function and fibrosis in chronic liver disease
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To assess baicalin on liver function and fibrosis in chronic liver disease
Dose
400 mg/day baicalin
Participants
60 patients with NAFLD
Duration
24 weeks
Results
Significant reductions in ALT (27%) and AST (22%) vs placebo. Liver stiffness on fibroscan reduced in baicalin group. Anti-fibrotic and hepatoprotective effects demonstrated.
How They Measured It
ALT, AST, liver fibrosis markers, fibroscan
Antioxidant & Neuroprotection
To evaluate Scutellaria baicalensis on antioxidant status and neuroprotective markers
Study Type
Randomised, controlled pilot
Purpose
To evaluate Scutellaria baicalensis on antioxidant status and neuroprotective markers
Dose
300 mg/day Scutellaria extract
Participants
36 healthy older adults
Duration
8 weeks
Results
Significant increase in ORAC antioxidant capacity (+22%) and SOD activity. 8-OHdG reduced by 18%. BDNF levels trended higher. Cognitive measures trending favorably.
How They Measured It
ORAC, 8-OHdG, SOD, BDNF, cognitive function
To review clinical evidence for Scutellaria species in health and disease
Study Type
Systematic review
Purpose
To review clinical evidence for Scutellaria species in health and disease
Dose
Various
Participants
Systematic review
Duration
Various
Results
Evidence supports anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic, hepatoprotective, and antioxidant effects. Metabolic benefits emerging. Baicalin and baicalein as key active compounds. Generally well-tolerated.
How They Measured It
Systematic review of human trials
Anxiety & Stress Management
To evaluate Scutellaria baicalensis combined with magnesium and chromium on stress and metabolic parameters.
Study Type
Randomized Controlled Trial
Purpose
To evaluate Scutellaria baicalensis combined with magnesium and chromium on stress and metabolic parameters.
Dose
Scutellaria baicalensis/Crataegus combined with magnesium 100 mg and chromium 200 mcg
Participants
Adults with psychological stress
Duration
8 weeks
Results
The Scutellaria-based combination significantly reduced perceived stress scores, cortisol levels, and improved metabolic markers.
How They Measured It
Stress scores (PSS), cortisol levels, blood glucose, insulin resistance
To evaluate combined Scutellaria and saffron supplementation on mood regulation in participants with anxiety and stress.
Study Type
Randomized Controlled Trial
Purpose
To evaluate combined Scutellaria and saffron supplementation on mood regulation in participants with anxiety and stress.
Dose
Scutellaria baicalensis extract combined with saffron extract
Participants
Adults with anxiety and elevated stress
Duration
8 weeks
Results
Scutellaria and saffron combination significantly improved mood, reduced anxiety scores, and lowered perceived stress.
How They Measured It
Mood assessment scales, anxiety scores, perceived stress scales
To evaluate a chemically characterized Scutellaria lateriflora extract-based food supplement for anxiety and stress.
Study Type
Randomized Controlled Trial
Purpose
To evaluate a chemically characterized Scutellaria lateriflora extract-based food supplement for anxiety and stress.
Dose
Scutellaria lateriflora extract standardized supplement
Participants
Adults with mild to moderate anxiety
Duration
8 weeks
Results
Scutellaria lateriflora extract significantly reduced anxiety scores and stress biomarkers compared to placebo.
How They Measured It
HAM-A scores, GAD-7, stress biomarkers, quality of life
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Skullcap research
There are currently 11 peer-reviewed studies on Skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis), involving 336 total participants. Research covers Anti-inflammatory, Anxiety reduction, Neuroprotection and 2 more areas. The overall evidence strength is rated as Very Strong.
The evidence is currently rated as "Very Strong Evidence". This rating is based on study design quality (randomisation, blinding, placebo controls), sample sizes, study types (10 human studies), and reported outcomes.
Skullcap has been researched for: Anti-inflammatory, Anxiety reduction, Neuroprotection, Antioxidant status, Liver health. Each area has its own body of evidence which you can explore in the study breakdowns above.
Yes, 10 out of 11 studies are human trials. Human trials carry more weight in our evidence scoring system.
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