Baicalein is a flavone, a type of flavonoid, originally isolated from the roots of Scutellaria baicalensis

Scutellaria baicalensis

Scutellaria baicalensis is a species of flowering plant in the Lamiaceae family.-Medicinal uses:...

. It is also reported in Oroxylum indicum

Oroxylum indicum

Oroxylum indicum is a species of flowering plant belonging to the family Bignoniaceae.-Names:* Bignonia indica, L., Species Plantarum 2: 625. 1753.* Spathodea indica, L., Pers. Synopsis Plantarum 2: 173. 1807....

or Indian trumpetflower. It is the aglycone

Aglycone

An aglycone is the non-sugar compound remaining after replacement of the glycosyl group from a glycoside by a hydrogen atom. The spelling aglycon is sometimes encountered .Classes of phytochemicals found in the aglycone and glycosides forms :...

 of baicalin

Baicalin

Baicalin is a flavone, a type of flavonoid. It is found in several species in the genus Scutellaria, including Scutellaria lateriflora . There are 10 mg/g baicalin in Scutellaria galericulata leaves...

.

The flavonoid has been shown to inhibit certain types of lipoxygenase

Lipoxygenase

Lipoxygenases are a family of iron-containing enzymes that catalyse the dioxygenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids in lipids containing a cis,cis-1,4- pentadiene structure. It catalyses the following reaction:...

s and act as an anti-inflammatory

Inflammation

Inflammation is part of the complex biological response of vascular tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. Inflammation is a protective attempt by the organism to remove the injurious stimuli and to initiate the healing process...

 agent.It has antiproliferative effects on ET-1-induced proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell proliferation via inhibition of TRPC1 channel expression.

Baicalein is an inhibitor

Enzyme inhibitor

An enzyme inhibitor is a molecule that binds to enzymes and decreases their activity. Since blocking an enzyme's activity can kill a pathogen or correct a metabolic imbalance, many drugs are enzyme inhibitors. They are also used as herbicides and pesticides...

 of CYP2C9

CYP2C9

Cytochrome P450 2C9 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the CYP2C9 gene.- Function :CYP2C9 is an important cytochrome P450 enzyme with a major role in the oxidation of both xenobiotic and endogenous compounds. CYP2C9 makes up about 18% of the cytochrome P450 protein in liver microsomes...

, an enzyme

Enzyme

Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process, called substrates, are converted into different molecules, called products. Almost all chemical reactions in a biological cell need enzymes in order to occur at rates...

 of the cytochrome P450 system that metabolizes

Drug metabolism

Drug metabolism is the biochemical modification of pharmaceutical substances by living organisms, usually through specialized enzymatic systems. This is a form of xenobiotic metabolism. Drug metabolism often converts lipophilic chemical compounds into more readily excreted polar products...

 drug

Drug

A drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in drug control law, government regulations, medicine, and colloquial usage.In pharmacology, a...

s in the body.
A derivative Baicalin is a known prolyl endopeptidase

Prolyl endopeptidase

Prolyl endopeptidase or prolyl oligopeptidase, sometimes post-proline cleaving enzyme) is a large cytosolic enzyme that belongs to a distinct class of serine peptidases. It was first described in the cytosol of rabbit brain as an oligopeptidase, which degrades the nonapeptide bradykinin at the...

 inhibitor.

It is one of the active ingredients of Sho-Saiko-To

Sho-saiko-to

Sho-Saiko-To , also known as Minor Bupleurum Formula and Xiao Chai Hu Tang in Chinese, is a herbal supplement, believed to enhance liver health. Sho-Saiko-To is a widely used prescription drug in Japan and is a listed formula in Japanese Kampo. There are currently ongoing clinical trials for...

, a Japanese herbal supplement believed to enhance liver health.