Scutellaria Species and Cancer Research

Ethnobotanical documentation of plants for medical purposes is available in all cultures around the globe dating since the beginning of human history, which has provided a basis for modern medicine. Cancer still remains an aggressive killer, despite considerable efforts. There is a constant demand for new therapies to treat and prevent cancer, as it is the second leading cause of death worldwide. There are about 400 species in the genus Scutellaria, a member of the Lamiaceae family, which have been used for centuries as an aid in the fight against many diseases. Scutellaria figured prominently as a treatment of inflammation, infections, tumors, thrombosis, edema, hypertension, anxiety, fatigue and muscle spasms. Therapeutic effects of Scutellaria are attributed to the presence of flavonoids, triterpenes, diterpenes and iridoid glycosides. Scutellaria species produce various flavonoids in a subclass of flavones, with the most abundant recognized as baicalein, baicalin, wogonin and wogonoside; others include chrysin, scutellarin and scutellarein. In vitro and in vivo studies have shown that compounds extracted from Scutellaria contain cytotoxic anti-tumor activity. The clinical trials, as well as in vitro and in vivo studies involving Scutellaria and its use as a complementary and/or alternative medicine in cancer treatment, are discussed in this chapter. The focus is also on the anti-tumor properties of various secondary metabolites extracted from Scutellaria.