Individual Herbs Notebook

Huang Qin

Pharmaceutical: Radix Scutellariae baicalensis
Taxonomy: Scutellaria baicalensis

Other names: Baical Skullcap Root

Category: Herbs that Clear Heat



Properties: Bitter, cold

Meridans Entered:
Primary: Lung, Stomach, Gallbladder, Large Intestine and Bladder


Traditional Actions/Indications:
  1. Clears Heat and dries Dampness
    Damp-Heat in the Stomach or Intestines with diarrhoea or dysenteric disorder
    Damp-Warmth with fever, a stifling sensation in the chest and thirst with no desire to drink
    Damp-Heat in the Lower Jiao with painful urinary dysfunction
    Damp-Heat jaundice (auxiliary), infectious hepatitis
  2. Drains Fire and detoxifies
    Heat and Fire especially in the Upper Jiao (Lung) with high fever, irritability, thirst, cough and expectoration of thick, yellow sputum
    Upper respiratory tract infection
    Hot sores and swellings (topical or internal)
  3. Cools the Blood and stops bleeding
    Xue Stage Heat or Blood Heat causing bleeding with epistaxis, hemoptysis, hematemesis and hemafecia
  4. Clears Heat and calms the fetus
    Fetal restlessness due to Heat
  5. Calms ascending Liver Yang
    Liver Yang Rising with headache, irritability, red eyes, flushed face and bitter taste
    High Blood pressure
    Gallbladder Heat

Suggested Daily Dosage: 5-15g in decoction.


Notable Constituents:
Appears in 161 formulae listed on this site: (click to display)
Research Links & References: (click to display)