Chemical Investigation of Scutellaria lateriflora L.

Scutellaria lateriflora L. (Skullcap) is a perennial member of the mint family which grows in North American and is cultivated in Europe. As a folk medicine, the dried aerial parts of this plant are used as a sedative/nerve tonic as well as an antispasmodic to treat epilepsy, St. Vitus's dance, insomnia, anxiety, neuralgia and withdrawal symptoms from barbiturates and tranquilizers [1]. Despite its extensive use, little data exist regarding the chemical constituents of S. lateriflora. In order to provide scientific support for the uses of this plant, a systematical chemical study has been conducted. From the aerial parts of S. ateriflora, six flavonoids including wogonin, oroxylin A, dihydrooroxylin A, chrysin, dihydrochrysin, and 5,7-dihydroxy-2ʹ,8-dimethoxyflavone, four triterpenoids including lupenol, ursolic acid, 3α,24-dihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid, 3β,19-dihydroxyursolic acid, as well as sitosterol, daucosterol, palmitic acid, a mixture of arachidic acid, behenic acid, and lignoceric acid in the ratio of 2:1:0.3, mixture of 1-triacontanol and 1-dotriacontanol in the ratio of 2:1, have been isolated. Their structures were determined on the basis of 1D, 2D-NMR and comparison with reported data. All these compounds except wogonin and chrysin are reported for the first time from this species. Acknowledgement: This work is funded in part by the Food Drug Administration contract “Biotanical Dietary Supplement: Science-Base for Authentication” 2 U01 FD 002071-06. References: [1] Foster S (1996) The Business of Herbs, May/June, 14–16.