The plant is native to China, Korea, Mongolia, and Russia in the Russian Far East and Siberia.

[2] As a Chinese traditional medicine, huang qin usually refers to the dried root of S. baicalensis Georgi, S. viscidula Bge., S. amoena C.H.

Several phytochemicals have been isolated from the root; baicalein, baicalin, wogonin, norwogonin, oroxylin A[3] and β-sitosterol are the major ones.

Sometimes, Scutellaria lateriflora (North American skullcap) is mistaken for S. baicalensis.

There have been several reports and small case series of acute liver injury with jaundice arising 1 to 3 months after starting herbal or dietary supplements containing S.