Scutellaria baicalensis

Scutellaria baicalensis (Chinese Skullcap root) is not consumed as a food source and lacks conventional macronutrient/caloric significance; its profile is defined primarily by its bioactive phytochemical constituents. Key flavonoids include baicalin (the predominant glycoside, typically 10–15% dry weight of root, up to 150 mg/g in standardized extracts), baicalein (aglycone form of baicalin, 1–5% dry weight, formed via hydrolysis by gut microbiota or during processing), wogonoside (glycoside, ~1–4% dry weight), and wogonin (aglycone, ~0.5–2% dry weight). Additional flavonoids present at lower concentrations include oroxylin A (~0.1–0.5%), scutellarein, and norwogonin. Bioavailability notes: baicalin undergoes extensive first-pass hydrolysis in the gut by bacterial β-glucuronidase to yield the more bioavailable aglycone baicalein; oral bioavailability of baicalin is low (~2–5%) but improved through this conversion; baicalein is absorbed more readily in the small intestine. Minor constituents include iridoids, sterols (β-sitosterol, ~trace levels), amino acids (proline, arginine at mg/g trace levels), polysaccharides (~5–10% dry weight contributing to immune-modulating activity), and small amounts of essential minerals including calcium (~4–8 mg/g), potassium (~3–6 mg/g), and magnesium (~1–3 mg/g) in raw root. Total phenolic content ranges from 80–200 mg GAE/g in dried root extracts. Fat-soluble compounds are minimal; no significant vitamins or dietary fiber in pharmacologically relevant quantities.