According to the John Innes Centre, the Chinese skullcap, Scutellaria baicalensis, known in Chinese medicine as Huang-Qin, produces flavones—compounds that may help treat cancer and liver diseases.
Although flavons are well-researched, wogonin and baicalin—compounds found in Huang-Qin roots—are different because of a missing –OH (hydroxyl) group in their chemical structure.
“Many flavones are synthesised using a compound called naringenin as a building block. But naringenin has this -OH group attached to it, and there is no known enzyme that will remove it to produce the flavones we find in Huang-Qin roots,” says Cathie Martin, lead author of the paper.
Through research, Martin’s team discovered a biosynthetic pathway involving new “building block”—chrysin. Martin believes that understanding this pathway will enable further research into the potential medicinal uses of Huang-Qin.
“It’s exciting to consider that the plants which have been used as traditional Chinese remedies for thousands of years may lead to effective modern medicines,” she says.
