Paeonia lactiflora. Paeonia albiflora  白 芍 Bái sháo   White peony root   Family: Ranunculaceae  
PART USED: Root
    FLAVOR: Bitter, sour
ACTIONS
1. Astringent.[4] Analgesic.[4]
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Nourishing Blood
1. Neutralizes the Blood.[1] Nourish Blood.
2. Nourish Liver- Soften up the Liver.[2] Restores Liver balance.[1]
3. Slow down acute symptoms.[2] Alleviates pain.[1]
4. Purifies the Yin.[1]
INDICATIONS
1. Liver full- Anemia and Liver dominance, dizziness, pains in sides and abdomen.[1] Headache, vertigo, chest pain, pain in ribs.[2]
2. Dysentery, bloody and mucoid dysentery.[1] Relieve pain, spasmodic pain in stomach and intestine, diarrhea, abdominal pain in dysentery.[2]
3. Spasmodic pain in hands and feet.[2]
4. Menstrual irregularity.[1] Period pain.[2]
PATENT COMBINATIONS
PREPARATIONS: Decoction. Root 9 g.[1]   Root 4-9 g.[2]
Fluid extract 1:2 45%.[3]
    
References
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Constituents
Research
Paeoniflorin has a smooth muscle relaxant activity, is vasodilatory, has some CNS depressant effect, is antiiflammatory and immunostimulanting in animals. Pentagalloyl glucose is antiviral in vitro against Herpes simplex.
References|
[1] Hikino, H. Economic and Medicinal Plant Research, Vol I. Pub. Academic Press (1985) UK

Antioxidative constituents from Paeonia lactiflora.
Lee SC, Kwon YS, Son KH, Kim HP, Heo MY.
Abstract
The ethanol extract of the peony root (Paeonia Lactiflora Pall, Paeoniaceae) as well as its major active components including gallic acid and methyl gallate were evaluated for their protective effects against free radical generation and lipid peroxidation. In addition, the protective effects against hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative DNA damage in a mammalian cell line were examined. The ethanol extracts of the peony root (PREs) and its active constituents, gallic acid and methyl gallate, exhibited a significant free radical scavenging effect against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazine (DPPH) radical generation and had an inhibitory effect on lipid peroxidation, as measured by the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) formation. The PREs did not have any pro-oxidant effect. They strongly inhibited the hydrogen peroxide-induced DNA damage from NIH/3T3 fibroblasts, as assessed by single cell gel electrophoresis. Furthermore, the oral administration of 50% PRE (50% ethanol extract of peony root), gallic acid and methyl gallate potently inhibited the formation of micronucleated reticulocytes (MNRET) in the mouse peripheral blood induced by a KBrO3 treatment in vivo. Therefore, PREs containing gallic acid and methyl gallate may be a useful antigenotoxic antioxidant by scavenging free radicals, inhibiting lipid peroxidation and protecting against oxidative DNA damage without exhibiting any pro-oxidant effect.
PMID: 16114491 Arch Pharm Res. 2005 Jul;28(7):775-83. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
 
Mechanisms involved in the therapeutic effects of Paeonia lactiflora Pallas in rheumatoid arthritis.
Zhang W, Dai SM.
Abstract
Paeonia lactiflora Pallas, also named Chinese Paeony, is a Chinese herb. A decoction of its root has been used to treat painful or inflammatory disorders in traditional Chinese medicine. A water/ethanol extract of Radix Paeoniae is known as total glycosides of paeony (TGP), of which paeoniflorin is the major active component. Preclinical studies show that TGP/paeoniflorin is able to diminish pain, joint swelling, synovial hypertrophy, and the severity of bone erosion and cartilage degradation in experimental arthritis. TGP/paeoniflorin suppresses inflammatory process by reducing the production of prostaglandin E2, leukotriene B4, nitric oxide, reactive oxygen species, proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. TGP/paeoniflorin also inhibits the proliferation of lymphocytes and fibroblast-like synoviocytes, the formation of new blood vessels, and the production of matrix metalloproteinases. Clinical data show that TGP is effective to relieve the symptoms and signs of rheumatoid arthritis without significant adverse effects. Recently, TGP is widely used to treat rheumatoid arthritis in China.
PMID: 22705050 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2012.06.001 Int Immunopharmacol. 2012 Sep;14(1):27-31. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2012.06.001. Epub 2012 Jun 21.  ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Androgen modulators from the roots of Paeonia lactiflora (paeoniae radix) grown and processed in nara prefecture, Japan.
Washida K, Itoh Y, Iwashita T, Nomoto K.
Abstract
The monoterpene glycoside, 3'-O-galloylpaeoniflorin (1), and four known compounds, 6'-O-galloylalbiflorin (2), pentagalloylglucose (3), 6'-O-benzoylpaeoniflorin (4) and 6'-O-galloylpaeoniflorin (5), were isolated from the roots of Paeonia lactiflora that had been grown and processed in Nara prefecture, Japan, as androgen modulators. Their structures were elucidated based on spectroscopic analysis. Compounds 2 and 3 showed strong androgen receptor (AR) binding activity (IC(50) values 33.7 and 4.1 microg/ml, respectively), 1, 4 and 5 showed weak activity (20, 31 and 12% at 120 microg/ml, respectively). However, paeoniflorin (6) and albiflorin (7), the structures of which are related to 1, 2, 4 and 5, showed no activity. These results suggested that both the structure of albiflorin and the galloyl moiety are important for 2 to show strong AR binding activity. Furthermore, compounds 1-5 inhibited growth of an androgen-dependent LNCaP-FGC (prostate cancer cell line), and were indicated to be AR antagonists. Compounds 2 and 3 might be candidates as safe, natural anti-androgens.
PMID: 19721258 Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo). 2009 Sep;57(9):971-4. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov