MEDICINAL IMPORTANCE OF SCUTELLARIA L. GENUS (LAMIACEAE) – A REVIEW

Abstract

Scutellaria L. is a therapeutically important genus widely used in folk and modern medicine. It is a rich source of bioactive compounds, mainly flavonoids and diterpenes with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticonvulsant, antiviral, antibacterial, anticancer, hepatoprotective and neuroprotective activities. The paper presents a review on medicinal importance of eight Scutellaria taxa introduced and studied in the National Botanical Garden (Institute) “Al. Ciubotaru”. The review on ethnobotanical, phytochemical and pharmacological literature indicates the great therapeutic potential of the species, which points the way to conduct further multidisciplinary studies in order to establish and explore their medicinal and economic value. Keywords: Lamiaceae, Scutellaria, Republic of Moldova, medicinal importance.