Regulation of IGF-I production and proliferation of human leiomyomal smooth muscle cells by Scutellaria barbata D. Don in vitro: isolation of flavonoids of apigenin and luteolin as acting compounds.

Scutellaria barbata D. Don (Lamiaceae) (SB) is a perennial herb, which is natively distributed throughout Korea and southern China. This herb is known in traditional Chinese Medicine as Ban-Zhi-Lian and traditional Korean medicine as Banjiryun, respectively.

Inhibitory effects of Scutellaria barbata D. Don on human uterine leiomyomal smooth muscle cell proliferation through cell cycle analysis.

Scutellaria barbata D. Don (SB) is one of the herbs belonging to perennial plants, which is known in traditional Korean medicine as 'Ban-Ji-Ryun,' and has been used as an anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor agents against human uterine leiomyoma, mammalian and ovarian cancers. Although the difference between uterine smooth muscle cell (SMC) and leiomyomal SMCs has not been clearly established, the action of SB water extract was investigated using SMCs from normal myometrium and leiomyoma.