I picked some of this stuff up and brewed 6 grams into a tea... No discernable effects. How should I properly use this herb?
Cheers,
Crisp

Ummmmm, what effects are you looking for? Also what kind of skullcap do you have? There are a ton of varieties of skullcap and many of them are used in very different ways for completely different reasons. If you can post more information (like the type of skullcap) I can probably help you out. As your post currently stands, it's a little too vague for me to give you any meaningful advice.

I have some scutelaria lateriflora cut herb leaf and stalks, what intent, preparations and dosages would you recommend for that?

That's the Blue Skullcap if I'm not mistaken, that's mainly what I have. It makes for a pretty nice tea that is great before bed, or just for a cozy evening at home. It's one of the ones that smokes decently too, I like to make the occasional herbal cigarette with it combined with a little passionflower and some mapacho. It's better than Damiana, imo, for a weed substitute or herbal buzz. It puts you in a head space that's more relaxed and mellow than the weird damiana smoked headspace and when combined with the passionflower and mapacho, it's a great blend to smoke on the porch on a warm summer evening.

I assume that it's 'common' skullcap (I think that's the official name). I also have damiana and passionflower, but I have yet to try them. I have read that skullcap can be very sedating - but this brand didn't do much at 6 grams in a tea...

Thanks. For tea... what's the grammage range from mild to strong effects? Do you make it like common tea, or do you brew it for 20+ mins like traditional chinese medicine?

I believe lateriflora is the one I'm working with. I boiled the skullcap in water for a while, then strained it through an old T-shirt, and boiled the remaining liquid down (at a slightly lower temperature. This stuff has a strong tendency to boil over). This resulted in a powder. When I tried smoking some it felt quite a lot like marijuana, but with a tendency to laugh and a pleasurable tingle in the back of my head. Fairly mild, and it didn't seem to last long... I'll try a larger dose soon.

Smoked about a gram of this hard to work with tar. It a bit harsh (about the same as weed). Definite Effects. It feels closer to marijuana than anything else i've tried but without as much 'high' and more of a stone (and with no marijuana type anxiety). Definitely doesn't just feel like a sedative. Is there some way to absorb the good stuff in there and seperate the plant matter?
Strangely some of the essential oils of the plant are the same as with cannabis. The active components are baicalein and possibly other things listed, including wogonin. If there is some way of getting pure baicalein I would be interested. Elements in skullcap are said to bind to the gaba receptors, but it doesn't really feel like that is all that's going on. It doesn't feel like lorazepam or valerian, but maybe it's a different gaba receptor...
Is there someway to freebase baicalein (silly question I'm sure)?

feels much more like a tranquilizer (fairly mild) now -- perhaps sometimes else is giving the initial effects.

Crisp, this is all with smoking an extract that you're reporting these effects? I've never tried extracting from it. How would you say the extract compares to the herb? Is it merely more potent or does it change the quality of the experience at all (beyond being more tranquilizing)?

Well it was a simple water extraction (main components are said to be water soluble), so I would guess it's just an increase in potency.

Tried a few grams of the sticky tar in a tea, and it had somewhat of a sedative effect. Not this initial 'cannabis-like' feeling of smoking, and possibly not as potent as 1 gram smoked.

4g in a tea worked well for me last night. Boiling water was poured over the skullcap and left to steep for 5-15 mins (didn't time).
Nice! Moderate euphoria, relaxed, movement feels nicer, flowing and slight reduction in balance. Could achieve erection and had no problems getting to sleep.
Feels like it could be good for going out for people who don't drink.
Surprised to find that reduced effects lingered today, seem to be salivating a lot more and funny taste to the saliva.
That's with scutelaria lateriflora cut herb leaf and stalks.

Promising... so the next question is, is it safe? Is there historical precedent?

there is for chinese scullcap and S. Barbata are/were used in chinese medicine.

Thanks I'll look into that. Does anyone else have any thoughts on safety (inc. contraindications) and historical precedent?

I'm struggling to understand why scullcap isn't more popular... which is why I'm wondering if our ancestors discovered a health reason to avoid using it recreationally?

It doesn't seem that 'strong' to me. I'll try 10 grams in tea and see if I achieve good effects. I may have a bit of a tolerance to gaba type drugs however, so don't take my dosages as a given. For smoking, simply boiling it for a while, straining, then boiling down to a goo seems to concentrate it a fair bit. Any thoughts on a solvent to extract the good stuff?

I doubt there are many dangers at reasonable dosages since it's sold over the counter at health stores in teas etc. there's actually antioxidant activity in baikal and baicalensis has been used for thousands of years in chinese medicine as one of the 50 fundamental herbs, but I did find this. Some remedies have been contaminated with a plant that looks very similar to Baikal skullcap, This confusion can result in the intake of the lateriflora variety which is often processed and contaminated with other plants with high enough levels of toxicity to be of concern.
Which ancestors Europe hasn't grown it til recently(besides baicalensis which is native to parts of russia) since I don't think it was native there the indians used it though.
Scullcap well known among the Cherokee and other Native American tribes, as a strong emmenagogue and female medicinal herb. Used in some tribes as a ceremonial plant to introduce young girls into womanhood. Once believed of use in the treatment of rabies and schizophrenia. Also used to induce visions. It was at one time considered to be a remedy for rabies, thus it's name mad dog weed.

How did they prepare it to induce visions? When smoked there seems to be a slightly stoning cannabis like effect, but otherwise it seems like a sedative...