Phytochemical Analysis of the Essential Oils From Aerial Parts of Four Scutellaria “Skullcap” Species Cultivated in South Alabama: Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, S. Barbata D. Don, S. Incana Biehler, and S. Lateriflora L

Abstract

Scutellaria (skullcap) are important medicinal plants. Scutellaria baicalensis and S.barbata have been used in Chinese traditional medicine, while S. incana and S. lateriflora were used as herbal medicines by Native Americans. In this work, the essential oils of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, Scutellaria barbata D. Don , Scutellaria incana Biehler, and Scutellaria lateriflora L. were obtained from plants cultivated in south Alabama and analyzed by gas chromatographic techniques, including chiral gas chromatography. The most abundant components in the Scutellaria essential oils were 1-octen-3-ol (31.2% in S. incana), linalool (6.8% in S. incana), thymol (7.7% in S. barbata), carvacrol (9.3% in S. baicalensis), ( E)-β caryophyllene (11.6% in S. baicalensis), germacrene D (39.3% in S. baicalensis), ( E)-nerolidol (10.5% in S. incana), palmitic acid (15.6% in S. barbata), phytol (19.7% in S. incana), and linolenic acid (8.0% in S. barbata). These analyses of the essential oil compositions and enantiomeric ratios of predominant aromatic molecules add to our understanding of the medicinal phytochemistry of the genus Scutellaria.