Barbed skullcap (ban zhi lian)
Scutellaria barbata · 半枝莲
Herbs & Roots. Chinese Medicine.
Also called Ban zhi lian, Herba Scutellariae Barbatae, Half-branch lotus
Pinyin: Bàn Zhī Lián
Caution in pregnancy; cold herbBarbed skullcap is a small herb from East and Southeast Asia, used in Chinese medicine for heat, sores and swelling.
Did you know? The name skullcap comes from the small helmet-shaped crest on the flower's calyx, which looks like the top of an old soldier's helmet.
What it may help, and how strong the proof is
- Infections. Lab work has looked at antimicrobial effects against some microbes. This has not been shown in people.See the research: 1 study in peopleTraditional proof
- Pain & headaches. Traditional sources say it eases pain and sores. No human trials were found.See the research: 2 studies in peopleTraditional proof
- Liver. Lab and animal work has looked at liver effects, but no human trials were found. Some sellers promote it for hepatitis, but scientific evidence is lacking.See the research: No trials in people found yetTraditional proof
Parts of the body
Traditional use
Chinese healers used barbed skullcap to clear heat and remove toxins, and to ease swelling and sores. It has long been a folk herb in southern China.
How it is classified
- Herbal actions
- Antimicrobial, Analgesic, Antioxidant. Energy: cooling.
- Chinese medicine
- 半枝莲 Clear heat. Nature: cold. Flavour: bitter, pungent. Enters the Liver, Lung and Kidney channels.
How people take it
The dried herb is simmered as a decoction. Some herb references list 9 to 30 grams a day, but no proven dose exists. Teas, capsules and powders are also sold.
Decoction, tea, capsule and powder.
Where to get it
Grows wild in damp fields and roadsides across East and Southeast Asia, and is also cultivated. Sold as dried herb, tea, powder and capsules in Chinese herb shops and online.
Be careful
Few side effects have been reported, but human studies are small and few. Chinese references advise caution with blood deficiency and in pregnancy. Do not use it if you are allergic to it. Do not confuse it with baikal skullcap (huang qin, Scutellaria baicalensis) or with North American skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora). They are different herbs.
Avoid if: pregnancy; breastfeeding; blood deficiency; allergy to skullcap.
Mixing with other things
- Works well together
Often combined in Chinese products for heat and toxin conditions.
The honest take
Barbed skullcap is a respected heat-clearing herb in Chinese medicine, but most modern evidence is lab and animal work. A few small human studies in advanced breast cancer suggest possible benefit, but larger studies are needed. Tell your doctor if you use it with other herbs or medicines.
Sources
Each “See the research” link opens PubMed, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's index of medical studies, showing only trials and reviews done in people. The number tells you how much a use has been tested, not whether it worked. The proof rating tells you that.
Study counts checked October 2026.