Gen info
Scutellaria is a genus of flowering plants in the mint family, containing about 300 species, commonly known as "skullcaps." It derives from the Latin word scutella (small dish) referring to the shape of the calyx.
Botany
Sidit is a perennial, slender, slightly branched herb, often prostrate below. Leaves are ovate, 1 to 4 centimeters long, and 1 to 2.7 centimeters wide, with a blunt tip and rounded or somewhat heart-shaped base, and with hairs on both surfaces. Flowers are pale blue, borne in terminal racemes, and 2 to 5 centimeters long. Calyx is slightly hairy, with rounded lips, and about 2.2 centimeters long, enlarged upward, slightly curved, and slightly ciliate on the outside. Nutlets are about 1.6 millimeters long.
Distribution
- In ravines, on ridges in mossy forests, etc. at altitudes of 800 to 2,400 meters, and occasionally along mountain streams at lower elevations.
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Occurs in Cagayan, Abra, Bontoc, Benguet, Zambales, Bulacan, Bataan, Rizal, Batangas and Quezon Provinces in Luzon; and in Mindoro.
- Also occurs in New Guinea.
Constituents
- Plant yields a glucoside, scutellarin, like S. basicalensis, S. altissima, S indica and other species.
- Study of roots yielded 17 flavonoids: 13 flavones (1-13), two flavanones (14-15), a chalcone (2',4'-dihydroxy-3',6',2-trimethoxychalcone) (16), and a flavone glucoside (17). (6)
- Study isolated 14 flavonoid derivatives from an EtOAc extract of S. luzonica, namely: 5-hydroxy-7-methoxyflavanone (1), 6-methoxynaringenin (2), 5,6,7,4-tetrahydroxyflavanone (3), 5,7,2-trihydroxyflavone (4), 5,7-dihydroxyflavone (5), hispidulin (6), 5,7,8-trihydroxyl-6-methoxyflavone (7), wogonin (8), 5,6-dihydroxy-7-methoxyflavone (9), 5,7,3,4-tetrahydroxyflavone (10), baicalein (11), oroxylin A (12), 5,8-dihydroxy-7-methoxyflavone (13), and 5,7,2-trihydroxy-8-methoxyflavone (14). (see study below) (5)
Uses
Folkloric
- In the Philippines, plant used as a cure for stomach pains.
- In the Mountain Province, administered in the form of decoction.
- Among the Kalanguya tribe of Tinoc, Ifugao, crushed leaves are applied to burns and scabies. Seeds are eaten to expel worms from the stomach. (2)
Studies
• Flavonoids / Roots. Study of roots isolated 17 flavonoids. (see constituents above) (6)
• Flavonoids / Antimicrobial / Whole Plant: Study isolated 14 flavonoid derivatives from an EtOAc extract of S. luzonica whole plant, namely: 5-hydroxy-7-methoxyflavanone (1), 6-methoxynaringenin (2), 5,6,7,4-tetrahydroxyflavanone (3), 5,7,2-trihydroxyflavone (4), 5,7-dihydroxyflavone (5), hispidulin (6), 5,7,8-trihydroxyl-6-methoxyflavone (7), wogonin (8), 5,6-dihydroxy-7-methoxyflavone (9), 5,7,3,4-tetrahydroxyflavone (10), baicalein (11), oroxylin A (12), 5,8-dihydroxy-7-methoxyflavone (13), and 5,7,2-trihydroxy-8-methoxyflavone (14). The compounds were tested against seven pathogenic bacterial and Candida albicans. Compounds 8 and 11 showed significant antifungal activity against C. albicans with same MIC values of 4.17 µg/mL. Compounds 8, 10, and 11 showed significant antibacterial activity against V. parahemolyticus with same MICs of 3.12 µg/mL. Compounds 8, 11, and 12 showed significant activity against V. alginolyticus with same MICs of 6.25 µg/mL. Compounds 5, 12, and 14 showed antimosquito larvae activity. (5)
Availability
Wild-crafted.
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