Title:The Flavonoid Components of Scutellaria baicalensis: Biopharmaceutical
Properties and their Improvement using Nanoformulation Techniques
Volume: 23
Issue: 1
Author(s): Jilin Wang, Xiaojiao Feng, Ziwei Li, Yiting Liu, Wenzhuo Yang, Tingen Zhang, Pan Guo, Zhidong Liu, Dongli Qi and Jiaxin Pi*
Affiliation:
- State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China
- Engineering Research Center of Modern Chinese Medicine Discovery and Preparation Technique, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China
- Haihe,
Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China
Keywords:
Scutellaria baicalensis, Georgi, Baicalin, Baicalein, Wogonin, Biopharmaceutics, Nanoformulations.
Abstract: Scutellaria baicalensis georgi, known as “Huangqin” in its dried root form, is a herb
widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for “clearing away heat, removing dampness, purging
fire and detoxification”. Baicalin, baicalein, wogonin, and wogonoside are the main flavonoid compounds
found in Scutellaria baicalensis. Scutellaria baicalensis flavonoid components have the potential
to prevent and treat a host of diseases. The components of S. baicalensis have limited clinical
application due to their low water solubility, poor permeability, and microbial transformation in vivo.
Nanopharmaceutical techniques can improve their biopharmaceutical properties, enhance their
absorption in vivo, and improve their bioavailability. However, due to the limited number of clinical
trials, doubts remain about their toxicity and improvements in human absorption as a result of
nanoformulations. This review summarizes the latest and most comprehensive information regarding
the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of the Scutellaria baicalensis components
in vivo. We examined the main advantages of nanodrug delivery systems and collected detailed
information on the nanosystem delivery of the Scutellaria baicalensis components, including
nanosuspensions and various lipid-based nanosystems. Lipid-based systems including liposomes,
solid lipid nanoparticles, nanoemulsions, and self-micro emulsifying drug delivery systems are introduced
in detail. In addition, we make recommendations for related and future research directions.
Future research should further examine the absorption mechanisms and metabolic pathways of
nanoformulations of the components of Scutellaria baicalensis in vivo, and accurately track the in
vivo behavior of these drug delivery systems to discover the specific reasons for the enhanced bioavailability
of nanoformulations of the scutellaria baicalensis components. The development of targeted
oral administration of intact nanoparticles of Scutellaria baicalensis components is an exciting
prospect.