Skullcap Herb, Blue — Certified Organic

(Scutellaria lateriflora)

Scutellaria lateriflora — Blue Skullcap, American Skullcap, or Mad Dog Skullcap — is a graceful, slender perennial herb of the family Lamiaceae native to eastern North America, found in moist, shaded woodlands, stream banks, and meadows from Quebec and Ontario south to Florida and west to the Great Plains. Scutellaria lateriflora is one of the most important and widely used nervine herbs in the North American botanical tradition — it was one of the primary botanical medicines of the Indigenous peoples of eastern North America, used by the Cherokee, Iroquois, and many other nations, and it became one of the most important herbs in the Eclectic medical tradition of 19th-century America, where it was listed in the United States Pharmacopeia from 1863 to 1916. The common name “Skullcap” is a direct reference to the flower’s distinctive shape — the small, tubular, blue-violet flowers have a helmet-like or cap-like upper lip that closely resembles the metal skullcap helmets worn by European soldiers, giving the plant its evocative common name. The alternative name “Mad Dog Skullcap” reflects the plant’s historical use in 18th and 19th-century American folk medicine as a treatment for rabies (hydrophobia) — a use that, while not supported by modern evidence, speaks to the plant’s deep roots in American botanical history. The genus name Scutellaria derives from the Latin scutella (a small dish or saucer) — a reference to the distinctive pouch-like protrusion on the upper sepal of the flower. Certified Organic.

Scutellaria lateriflora contains a well-characterized and distinctive array of phytochemicals, most notably baicalin and baicalein (flavone glycoside and aglycone — the primary bioactive compounds and quality markers, shared with the closely related Chinese skullcap Scutellaria baicalensis), scutellarein (a flavone aglycone unique to Scutellaria species), scutellarin (scutellarein-7-glucuronide), wogonin, wogonoside, lateriflorin (a flavone unique to S. lateriflora), ikonnikoside I, oroxylin A, chrysin, apigenin, luteolin, hispidulin, catalpol (an iridoid glycoside), aucubin (an iridoid), ajugol, phenylethanol glycosides, tannins, bitter iridoids, volatile oils (including limonene, terpineol, and sesquiterpenes), iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and zinc. Certified Organic. Available in Cut & Sifted and Powder forms.

Product Highlights

• Certified Organic cut & sifted herb and powder of Scutellaria lateriflora — Blue Skullcap / American Skullcap
• One of the most important nervine herbs in the North American botanical tradition — used by the Cherokee, Iroquois, and many other Indigenous nations
• Listed in the United States Pharmacopeia from 1863 to 1916 — a cornerstone of 19th-century Eclectic American botanical medicine
• The name “Skullcap” refers to the flower’s distinctive helmet-like shape — resembling the metal skullcap helmets of European soldiers
• Primary bioactive compounds: baicalin, baicalein, scutellarein, and lateriflorin — flavones shared with and unique to the Scutellaria genus
• Closely related to Chinese skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis) — one of the most important herbs in traditional Chinese medicine
• Certified Organic — available in Cut & Sifted and Powder forms

How to Use

Herbal Tea (Infusion): Steep 1–2 teaspoons of cut & sifted skullcap in 8 oz of hot water for 10–15 minutes; strain. The flavor is mildly bitter, slightly earthy, and grassy. Tincture: Use in alcohol-based tincture preparations — a traditional and effective extraction method for skullcap’s flavone constituents. Herbal Blends: A classic pairing with valerian root, passionflower, and lemon balm in traditional nervine herbal tea blends. Powder: Encapsulate or blend into herbal formulas.

Certified Organic. Available in Cut & Sifted and Powder (2 oz, 4 oz, 8 oz, 16 oz).

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your healthcare provider before use if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications (particularly sedatives, anti-anxiety medications, or anticonvulsants), or have a medical condition. Keep out of reach of children.