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Huangqin (Scutellaria Root) — classical plate
Scutellariae Radix · Scutellaria Root Plate 017
Scutellariae Radix
黄芩 Huangqin
Scutellaria Root
Radix Scutellariae Baicalensis
Nature & FlavorBitter; cold
ChannelsLung, Gallbladder, Stomach, Large Intestine
Actions
Clears heatDries dampnessDrains fireCalms the fetus
Six ChannelsHeat patterns of the Shaoyang and Yangming upper burner
The ClassicThe original text

「味苦平。主诸热黄疸，肠澼泄利，逐水，下血闭，恶疮疽蚀，火疡。」

Bitter in flavor, neutral. It treats all heat with jaundice, intestinal afflux and diarrhea, drives out water, brings down blocked blood, malign sores, festering erosion and fire ulcers.

RootBro's note — 'Clearing heat from the upper burner' is huangqin's position. In Xiao Chaihu Tang it clears Shaoyang gallbladder heat; in Banxia Xiexin Tang it clears heat above to pair with dried ginger warming cold below — the classic architecture of cold and heat regulated together.
PhD InsightA systems-biology reading
Key constituents baicalin and its aglycone baicalein are potent COX-2 inhibitors and NF-κB pathway antagonists, with well-established anti-inflammatory effects.
Baicalin · 黄芩苷
COX-2 inhibition → prostaglandins ↓ → fever and inflammation fall. NF-κB antagonism → inflammatory factors (IL-6, TNF-α) ↓. It also inhibits viral RNA polymerase, acting directly against several respiratory viruses.
The layering of huangqin with huanglian (Huanglian Jiedu Tang): huangqin clears lung heat in the upper burner, huanglian clears stomach heat in the middle burner, huangbai clears damp-heat in the lower burner. The 'three yellows' divide the work by territory — a textbook design of targeted anti-inflammation in the classical formulary.
Logic PairingClassical pairings
Xiao Chaihu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction)Banxia Xiexin Tang (Pinellia Decoction to Drain the Epigastrium)Huangqin Tang (Scutellaria Decoction)Gegen Qin Lian Tang (Kudzu, Scutellaria & Coptis Decoction)Da Chaihu Tang (Major Bupleurum Decoction)
← Previous Xixin · 细辛

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