White Peony Root

Parts Usually Used

The dried root without bark. It is typically dug in summer or autumn from cultivated plants that are 4-5 years old, cleaned, boiled in water, then sun-dried and sliced.

Description of Plant(s) and Culture

Paeonia lactiflora is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Paeoniaceae with fleshy roots and annual stems. It grows to about 60-100 cm tall with large compound leaves 20-40 cm long. The flower buds are large and round, opening into large flowers 8-16 cm in diameter, with 5-10 white, pink, or crimson petals and yellow stamens. The plant is native to east Asia and grows on dry open stony slopes, riverbanks, and sparse woodland edges.

For medicinal use, the roots are dug up, cleaned, and the bark and rootlets are removed. The peeled root is boiled in water for a short while and then dried in the sun. The resulting white root is known as White Peony Root (Bai Shao), as opposed to the unpeeled Red Peony Root (Chi Shao), which has different medicinal properties.

Where Found

White peony is native to eastern Asia, including China, Mongolia, and Siberia. It is widely cultivated throughout China, with major production provinces being Zhejiang, Anhui, and Sichuan. Others include Shandong, Guizhou, Hunan, Hubei, Gansu, Shanxi, and Henan. The product from Zhejiang is regarded as the best quality, while Anhui province is the most productive.

Medicinal Properties

White peony root possesses numerous therapeutic effects: Blood-tonifying (builds and nourishes blood) Liver-regulating (softens the liver, subdues liver yang) Yin-preserving (restrains the yin, prevents leakage of fluids) Analgesic (relieves pain) Anti-spasmodic (relieves muscle spasms) Anti-inflammatory Immunomodulatory (regulates immune function) Antioxidant Estrogenic (contains phytoestrogens) Anxiolytic (reduces anxiety) Antidepressant Hepatoprotective (liver protecting) Vasodilatory (expands blood vessels) Anti-thrombotic (prevents blood clots) Anti-diabetic Anti-tumor

Biochemical Information

White peony root contains numerous active compounds: 1. Monoterpene glycosides : Paeoniflorin (most abundant, >90% of total glycosides) Albiflorin Oxypaeoniflorin Benzoylpaeoniflorin Oxybenzoylpaeoniflorin Lactiflorin Galloylpaeoniflorin Paeoniflorigenone 2. Polyphenolic compounds : Gallic acid Catechin Methyl gallate Galloylglucoses 3. Other compounds : Paeonol Paeonin Paeonolide β-sitosterol Volatile oils Benzoic acid Total Glucosides of Peony (TGP) is a water/ethanol extract of white peony root that contains more than 15 components, with paeoniflorin being the most abundant.

Legends, Myths and Stories

White peony has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine, spanning more than 1,200 years. It was first mentioned in the Prescriptions for Fifty-two Ailments, which dates back to the Spring and Autumn Period (771-476 BC). The Treatise on Cold-Induced and Miscellaneous Diseases, written by Zhang Zhongjing at the end of the East Han dynasty (25-220 AD), mentions white peony extensively, though at that time there was no clear differentiation between white peony root and red peony root.

It wasn’t until the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127 AD) that physicians began to distinguish between the efficacy of white peony root versus red peony root. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1912 AD), the two were clearly described as separate medicines with different properties and uses. White peony is considered a symbol of wealth, good fortune, and honor in Chinese culture.

It is sometimes called the “king of flowers” and is associated with royalty, feminine beauty, and prosperity.

Uses

In traditional Chinese medicine, white peony root was historically utilized for a variety of complaints, particularly those relating to women's reproductive health, such as menstrual pain, irregular cycles, abnormal uterine bleeding, and symptoms associated with menopause. Practitioners traditionally associated the root with the liver, recommending it for conditions attributed to liver blood deficiency, hyperactive liver yang, liver qi stagnation, and internal wind, which were thought to manifest as headaches, dizziness, chest or flank discomfort, and muscle spasms.

Herbalists also administered the root for musculoskeletal complaints, including general muscle pain, weakness, cramps, and restless leg syndrome, as well as for issues related to fluid regulation, such as night sweats and spontaneous daytime sweating. Additionally, it was employed as a traditional remedy for abdominal, chest, and muscular pain. In historical Chinese formulations, white peony root was frequently combined with other botanicals, featuring prominently in classical prescriptions such as Four Substances Decoction (Si Wu Tang), Free and Easy Wanderer (Xiao Yao San), and Peony and Licorice Decoction (Shao Yao Gan Cao Tang).

How Sold

White peony root is commercially available in several forms: Dried root slices or pieces for decoction Powdered root Powdered extracts Tinctures Capsules or tablets Total Glucosides of Peony (TGP) capsules As a component in traditional Chinese herbal formulas