Benefits and Side Effects of Skullcap

Botanical Name: Scutellaria lateriflora.

Other Common Names of Skullcap:
Blue, greater, hairy, hooded, American, European western, maddog and side-flowering skullcap. It has also been called helmet flower, blue pimpernel, quaker bonnet, hooded willow flower, mad-dog weed, mad weed, hoodwort or hoodwart.

Habitat:
This herb is often found in partially shaded, wetland areas. It prefers light shade to full sun and wet to moist soil with plenty of organic matter. This perennial herb is native to North America and has been cultivated in Europe.

Plant Description:
Skullcap grows to a height of 45 to 60 centimeters tall. It has a light green to reddish-green square stem with occasional branches. The leaves measure 7.5 centimeters long by 5 centimeters across and are coarsely serrated around the edges. The blue-lavender flowers are hooded, tube shaped and two-lipped. The upper lip forms a hood and the lower lip has two lobes. This plant blooms from May to August. The flowers are replaced by a two chamber seed pod containing 4 seeds. The roots system consists of a taproot and rhizomes.

Plant Parts Used:
The flowers and the leaves of the plant are used for medicinal purposes.

The Skullcap Plant (Scutellaria lateriflora)
(Click on image to enlarge)

Skullcap Herb, Powder & Tincture

Skullcap Extract by Herb Pharm Skullcap by Eclectic Institute Inc

Therapeutic and Traditional Uses, Benefits and Claims of Skullcap

• Skullcap was used by some Native American tribes as an emmenagogue to bring young girls into womanhood.

The Herb Skullcap
(Scutellaria lateriflora)
Britton & Brown Illustrated Flora
- 2nd Edition (1913)
• It was also traditionally used to bring on visions (in large doses) during spiritual ceremonies.
• It was once used as a treatment for rabies and schizophrenia (hence the names maddog skullcap, maddog weed, and mad weed.)
• This plant is also a nervine with sedative qualities and is helpful in the treatment of many nervous conditions such as epilepsy, hysteria, anxiety, and delirium tremens. It has also been found useful in treating symptoms of withdrawal from barbiturates and tranquilizers.
• Medicinal infusions of this herb have been used to promote menstruation.
• An infusion of skullcap may also be helpful in treating throat infections and, due to its anti-spasmodic and sedative effects, it is also great for treating headaches from stress, neuralgia, and from incessant coughing.
• This herb can also be used to induce sleep naturally without the negative effects of many prescription and over-the-counter sleep aids.
• Skullcap is gaining some recognition as an alternative treatment for Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD/ADD).
• This plant is sometimes used to treat the symptoms associated with anorexia nervosa, fibromyalgia and even mild Tourette’s syndrome.
• Skullcap is also used as an herbal treatment for asthma and as a hiccup and hangover remedy.

Dosage and Administration

Skullcap is available in powder or liquid extract form and as a dried herb. It is commonly sold in capsule form as well. The recommended dosage for adults is 1 to 2 grams of the dried herb, 2 to 3 cups of tea, 2 to 4 mL of the liquid extract three times daily, or 2 to 5 mL of the tincture three times daily. Skullcap may be used in children in small doses. The best method of delivery is a mild tea. The child’s physician should be consulted before use. To make a medicinal tea try adding one pint of boiling water to 1 oz. of the dried herb and steep for 10 minutes. This can be served in ½ cup servings every few hours. For children, add 1 cup boiling water to 1 tsp. of dried leaves and steep only 2 minutes, to yield a milder tea.

Potential Side Effects of Skullcap

Overdose symptoms include giddiness, stupor, confusion, irregular heartbeat and twitching. This herb should not be used by women who are pregnant, since it may cause a miscarriage.

Some supplements have been tainted with plants of the Teucrium species, which have been shown to cause liver damage. It is important to seek skullcap from reputable sources.

There have been no documented cases of negative interactions with other herbs or medications, it does have a sedative effect and should not be combined with prescription sedatives.

Leave a Comment or Tips on Skullcap

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Name: Matius Mcdell
E-mail: Private
Date posted: August 02, 2011 - 12:21 am
Message: I used skullcap for sleep during real hard insomnia fits. Though it did it's job well, over time I feel like I developed an allergy to it. Or maybe it built up acidity in my system. It leaves me moody and achy. Effects take about 3 days to wear off. I am very sensitive to uppers or downers though. I WOULD however highly recommend this as an alternative to unnatural sleep aids.

Name: Melody Iles, PhD, NP
E-mail: Info@natural-health.cc
Date posted: June 13, 2011 - 08:10 am
Message: For anyone suffering with Shingles this is a great herb to suppress the virus related to shingles.

Name: Christopher
E-mail: love@yahoo.com
Date posted: June 02, 2011 - 04:57 pm
Message: Skullcap is positively the best treatment for anxiety and stress. I took prescription tranquillizers for years and they did not work as well as skullcap herb.

Name: skullcap fan
E-mail: Private
Date posted: May 28, 2011 - 12:09 pm
Message: A friend passed on a large quantity of dried skullcap she'd gotten from a gardener. I knew only that it was a nervine, but felt intuitively that it would be good for me and have been drinking it in tea. I have made it as an infusion by itself, or combined with black tea, or with peppermint, dandelion, and hawthorn berry. I have noticed it seems to relieve digestive tension, low back and joint pain, and anxiety. I have started adding it to my "tea for company" and have had many pleasant conversations with people with whom I sometimes am tense. They seem happier too. ;) Also, it tastes good.

Name: Another happy consumer
E-mail: Private
Date posted: June 28, 2010 - 09:25 pm
Message: A close friend of mine was experiencing nervous exhaustion and she acted edgy. After the very first dose of Scullcap she started yawning and took a good night sleep. The next day she took another dose of Scullcap, and started acting normal and happy - everyone around her saw the difference. What a great product!

Name: Happy consumer
E-mail: Private
Date posted: January 10, 2012 - 04:54 am
Message: I had realy bad lower back pain.I have taken Scullcap for a short time and I realy feel the difference.I strongly recomend this product.

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