Identification & Quality Standard
Radix Scutellariae
Botanical Origin
The dried root of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi.(Fabaceae).
Production Regions
Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Hebei, Liaoning.
Quality Requirements
Superior medicinal material has long root, firm texture, yellow color.
Macroscopic Features
Conical, twisted, 8~25cm long, 1~3cm diameter. Externally brownish-yellow or dark yellow, with loose verrucous thin root scars; upper portion is relatively rough, with twisted longitudinal wrinkles or irregular reticular pattern, lower portion has smooth lines and thin wrinkles. Young roots are hard and brittle, easily broken, fractured surface is yellow, middle is reddish-brown; also called zi qin, this form primarily clears fire. The center of old roots is dark brown or brownish-black, rotten or hollow, also called ku qin, clears fire and resolves toxin. faint odor, bitter taste.
