Roots: Scutellaria Baicalensis

Question 1

What is it?

Answer 1

• member of mint family, purple-flowering perennial plant native to East Asia
• key component of traditional Chinese medicine known as Huang-Qin or Golden Herb which
  treats allergic and inflammatory diseases
• flavonoids such as baicalin and baicalein that confer high UV protective and antioxidant properties

Question 2

How does it contribute to UV protection?

Answer 2

• Natural UV Protectant
• UV-shielding, antioxidant properties, alternative to potentially irritating chemical sunscreen agents
• sunscreen cream supplemented with extracts had a higher SPF value than control sunscreen cream without extract, increases SPF value as effectively as UV blocker Zinc Oxide (inhibits inflammatory events, absorbs UVA radiation)

Question 3

How does it prevent pigmentation formation?

Answer 3

• inhibits melanin formation
• bioactives: baicalin, wogonoside, baicalein, wogonin, oroxylin A
• among these 5 flavones, wogonin and wogonoside were found to have an inhibitory effect on melanogenesis which causes dark spots
• Wogonin: inhibits melanosome transport (responsible for melanin synthesis), color of wogonin treated cells significantly lighter from black to dark brown color of control cells,
  lightening and brightening effects