Ding Y, Wang CY, Pan YT, Wang YJ, Zhao AG, Wen HZ. Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi as a potential therapeutic drug intervention in ulcerative colitis: Mechanisms of action and clinical trials. World J Gastroenterol 2026; 32(1): 114558 [DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v32.i1.114558]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Hong-Zhu Wen, Department of Gastroenterology, Longhua Hospital Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 725 Wanping Road, Shanghai 200032, China. ellawhz@sina.com
Research Domain of This Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
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Review
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This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Jan 7, 2026 (publication date) through Jan 12, 2026
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Publication Name
World Journal of Gastroenterology
ISSN
1007-9327
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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Ding Y, Wang CY, Pan YT, Wang YJ, Zhao AG, Wen HZ. Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi as a potential therapeutic drug intervention in ulcerative colitis: Mechanisms of action and clinical trials. World J Gastroenterol 2026; 32(1): 114558 [DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v32.i1.114558]
Yi Ding, Yu-Jia Wang, Hong-Zhu Wen, Department of Gastroenterology, Longhua Hospital Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China
Chu-Ye Wang, Ya-Ting Pan, Ai-Guang Zhao, Department of Oncology, Longhua Hospital Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China
Co-first authors: Yi Ding and Chu-Ye Wang.
Co-corresponding authors: Ai-Guang Zhao and Hong-Zhu Wen.
Author contributions: Ding Y and Wang CY made equal contributions as co-first authors; Wen HZ designed and revised the manuscript; Ding Y, Wang CY, Pan YT, and Wang YJ wrote the draft; Zhao AG and Wen HZ made equal contributions as co-corresponding authors; all authors contributed to the important intellectual content of the manuscript and approved the final version to publish.
Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 82374200; and Construction of Traditional Chinese Medicine Inheritance and Innovation Development Demonstration Pilot Projects in Pudong New Area - High-Level Research-Oriented Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital Construction, No. YC-2023-0901.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Hong-Zhu Wen, Department of Gastroenterology, Longhua Hospital Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 725 Wanping Road, Shanghai 200032, China. ellawhz@sina.com
Received: September 23, 2025 Revised: October 30, 2025 Accepted: November 19, 2025 Published online: January 7, 2026 Processing time: 104 Days and 14.9 Hours
Abstract
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease characterized by clinical symptoms of diarrhea and mucopurulent bloody stools, and its incidence is increasing globally. The etiology and pathogenesis of UC remain elusive. Current therapeutic approaches, including anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive and immunomodulating agents, are often limited in efficacy and frequently associated with adverse drug reactions. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop safer and more effective treatment strategies to address the limitations of existing therapies. Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (HQ), a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, has been employed in the treatment of UC for over 2000 years. Recent studies have demonstrated that HQ contains multiple active components capable of treating UC through anti-inflammation, immune modulation, intestinal barrier protection, antioxidant activity, and regulation of the gut microbiota. This paper reviews recent studies on the mechanism of action and clinical trials of HQ in treating UC based on relevant literature, with the aim of providing valuable insights into future treatment approaches.
Core Tip: As a traditional Chinese medicine, Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (HQ) plays a crucial role in the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) since it contains multiple active components, such as baicalein, wogonin, baicalin, wogonoside and polysaccharides. HQ exerts therapeutic efficacy in UC through multiple mechanisms, including modulation of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine expression, regulation of immune cell function, protection of the intestinal barrier, and exertion of antioxidant and anti-apoptotic activities, as well as modulation of the gut microbiota. Clinically, HQ-based formulations, either used alone or in combination with conventional Western medications, have demonstrated favorable outcomes in UC management, such as reducing adverse drug reactions, enhancing therapeutic efficacy, and lowering recurrence rates.
