Paeonia lactiflora
With some herbs, different species within the genus can be used interchangeably—Usnea, gumweed, juniper, willow, etc. With others like cinquefoil or echinacea, the active constituents and preparations vary greatly among the species. It’s important to be fully aware of what exactly is being harvested and how it will be prepared and used. Such is the case with peonies.
The peony species native to the US, namely Western peony (Paeonia brownii) and California peony (P. californica), have been used medicinally by the Native Americans. These aren’t grown commercially and little modern research has been conducted on them. Other species like P. suffruticosa and P. emodi are widely researched but not readily available in this country for our usage. However, there are also other peonies that have been utilized in Chinese medicine for hundreds of years, with distinctions made between the cultivated and the wild plants, and it is these species that are studied most, particularly P. lactiflora. It definitely isn’t native to us, but fortunately, they are the ones grown commercially in this country and frequently included in gardens and thus the focus of this article. Other species of peony may or may not be used similarly.
While it takes some time for the roots to grow enough to be used for medicine, many people will already have them growing or be able to find them readily should the need arise. If you are buying new peony roots from the big box stores, make sure they are Paeonia lactiflora.
HARVEST
The root is dug in the summer or fall from 4-5 year old plants. After the bark is peeled off, the tincture immediately for the strongest preparation. Alternatively, boil the root in water for a short while, dry it in the sun, and slice thinly.
EFFECTIVE AGAINST
· Viruses
o Enterovirus 71[1]
o Enterovirus D68[2]
PREPARATIONS
Tincture: Fresh root, 1:2, dried root, 1:5 in 60% alcohol. Use 10-25 drops up to 4 times per day.[3] [4] The fresh root tincture is exerts much greater effects.[5]
USAGE
· Cardiovascular
o Heart attack[6]
o Hypertension
§ Taken internally[7]
· Communicable diseases
o Measles[10]
· Endocrine
o Diabetes[11]
· Gastrointestinal
o Ulcerative colitis[12]
· Hepatic
o Acute alcoholic liver injury[13]
o Jaundice[16]
o “Liver disorders”
§ Taken internally[17]
· Immunological
o Lupus erythematosus[18] [19]
o Sjogren’s syndrome
· Musculoskeletal
o Gout[22]
o Rheumatoid arthritis[23] [24] [25]
· Neurological
· Respiratory
· Skin
o Chronic dermatitis
§ Ointment[32]
o Eczema[33]
§ Taken internally[34]
o Psoriasis[35]
§ Ointment[36]
· Urogenital
o Diabetic nephropathy (prevention)[37]
§ Taken internally[41]
o Premenstrual syndrome
§ Taken internally[42]
· Other
Cautions and side effects: Not for use in pregnancy. Mild diarrhea, lasting less than 2 weeks. [48]
[1] Stephen Harrod Buhner, Herbal Antivirals, 2013, 109.
[2] Stephen Harrod Buhner, Herbal Antivirals, 2013, 109.
[3] Stephen Harrod Buhner, Herbal Antibiotics, 2012, 374.
[4] Michael Moore, Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West, 2003, 193.
[5] Michael Moore, Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West, 2003, 193.
[6] H Chen, et al., Paeoniflorin improves cardiac function and decreases adverse postinfarction left ventricular remodeling in a rat model of acute myocardial infarction, Drug Design, Development, and Therapy, 12 April 2018, Vol 12, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5905848/ (accessed 23 May 2023).
[7] Deni Bown, Encyclopedia of Herbs & Their Uses, 1995, 321.
[8] F. Zhao, et al., Paeoniae Radix Rubra extract attenuates cerebral ischemia injury by inhibiting ferroptosis and activating autophagy through the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 10 May 2023, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37172921/ (accessed 22 May 2023).
[9] A Wang, et al., Preclinical Evidence of Paeoniflorin Effectiveness for the Management of Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, Frontiers in Pharmacology, 8 April 2022, Vol 13, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9032804/ (accessed 23 May 2023).
[10] Stephen Harrod Buhner, Herbal Antivirals, 2013, 109.
[11] P Xu, et al., A tissue-specific profile of miRNAs and their targets related to paeoniaflorin and monoterpenoids biosynthesis in Paeonia lactiflora Pall. by transcriptome, small RNAs and degradome sequencing, PLoS One, 26 January 2023, Vol 18 No 1, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9879538/ (accessed 23 May 2023).
[12] Bao-Fei Yan, et al., Aqueous extract of Paeoniae Radix Alba (Paeonia lactiflora Pall.) ameliorates DSS-induced colitis in mice by tunning the intestinal physical barrier, immune responses, and microbiota, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Vol 294, 2022, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378874122004044?via%3Dihub (accessed 23 May 2023).
[13] Lin Peng, et al., Identification and hepatoprotective activity of total glycosides of paeony with high content of paeoniflorin extracted from Paeonia lactiflora Pall, Food and Chemical Toxicology, Vol 173, 2023, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0278691523000261 (accessed 23 May 2023).
[14] DY He, et al., Anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of paeonia lactiflora pall., a traditional chinese herbal medicine. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 25 February 2011, Vol 2, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3108611/ (accessed 22 May 2023).
[15] P Xu, et al., A tissue-specific profile of miRNAs and their targets related to paeoniaflorin and monoterpenoids biosynthesis in Paeonia lactiflora Pall. by transcriptome, small RNAs and degradome sequencing, PLoS One, 26 January 2023, Vol 18 No 1, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9879538/ (accessed 23 May 2023).
[16] Chunlei Wei, et al., Promising traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of cholestatic liver disease process (cholestasis, hepatitis, liver fibrosis, liver cirrhosis), Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Vol 297, 2022, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S037887412200589X (accessed 23 May 2023).
[17] Deni Bown, Encyclopedia of Herbs & Their Uses, 1995, 321.
[18] DY He, et al., Anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of paeonia lactiflora pall., a traditional chinese herbal medicine. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 25 February 2011, Vol 2, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3108611/ (accessed 22 May 2023).
[19] X Gong, et al., Efficacy and safety of total glucosides of paeony in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus: A systematic review and meta-analysis, Frontiers in Pharmacology, 7 December 2022, Vol 13, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9768345/ (accessed 23 May 2023).
[20] DY He, et al., Anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of paeonia lactiflora pall., a traditional chinese herbal medicine. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 25 February 2011, Vol 2, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3108611/ (accessed 22 May 2023).
[21] P Xu, et al., A tissue-specific profile of miRNAs and their targets related to paeoniaflorin and monoterpenoids biosynthesis in Paeonia lactiflora Pall. by transcriptome, small RNAs and degradome sequencing, PLoS One, 26 January 2023, Vol 18 No 1, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9879538/ (accessed 23 May 2023).
[22] L Xu, et al., Traditional Chinese herbal medicine plays a role in the liver, kidney, and intestine to ameliorate hyperuricemia according to experimental studies, Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 28 November 2021, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8645359/ (accessed 25 May 2023).
[23] DY He, et al., Anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of paeonia lactiflora pall., a traditional chinese herbal medicine. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 25 February 2011, Vol 2, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3108611/ (accessed 22 May 2023).
[24] P Xu, et al., A tissue-specific profile of miRNAs and their targets related to paeoniaflorin and monoterpenoids biosynthesis in Paeonia lactiflora Pall. by transcriptome, small RNAs and degradome sequencing, PLoS One, 26 January 2023, Vol 18 No 1, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9879538/ (accessed 23 May 2023).
[25] Lin Peng, et al., Identification and hepatoprotective activity of total glycosides of paeony with high content of paeoniflorin extracted from Paeonia lactiflora Pall, Food and Chemical Toxicology, Vol 173, 2023, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0278691523000261 (accessed 23 May 2023).
[26] DY He, et al., Anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of paeonia lactiflora pall., a traditional chinese herbal medicine. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 25 February 2011, Vol 2, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3108611/ (accessed 22 May 2023).
[27] P Xu, et al., A tissue-specific profile of miRNAs and their targets related to paeoniaflorin and monoterpenoids biosynthesis in Paeonia lactiflora Pall. by transcriptome, small RNAs and degradome sequencing, PLoS One, 26 January 2023, Vol 18 No 1, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9879538/ (accessed 23 May 2023).
[28] P Xu, et al., A tissue-specific profile of miRNAs and their targets related to paeoniaflorin and monoterpenoids biosynthesis in Paeonia lactiflora Pall. by transcriptome, small RNAs and degradome sequencing, PLoS One, 26 January 2023, Vol 18 No 1, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9879538/ (accessed 23 May 2023).
[29] XL Wang, et al., Efficacy of paeoniflorin on models of depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis of rodent studies, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 23 May 2022, Vol 290, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35143936/ (accessed 23 May 2023).
[30] DY He, et al., Anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of paeonia lactiflora pall., a traditional chinese herbal medicine. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 25 February 2011, Vol 2, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3108611/ (accessed 22 May 2023).
[31] P Xu, et al., A tissue-specific profile of miRNAs and their targets related to paeoniaflorin and monoterpenoids biosynthesis in Paeonia lactiflora Pall. by transcriptome, small RNAs and degradome sequencing, PLoS One, 26 January 2023, Vol 18 No 1, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9879538/ (accessed 23 May 2023).
[32] W Wang, et al., Paeonol Ameliorates Chronic Itch and Spinal Astrocytic Activation via CXCR3 in an Experimental Dry Skin Model in Mice, Frontiers in Pharmacology, 13 January 2022, Vol 12, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8794748/ (accessed 23 May 2023).
[33] Lin Peng, et al., Identification and hepatoprotective activity of total glycosides of paeony with high content of paeoniflorin extracted from Paeonia lactiflora Pall, Food and Chemical Toxicology, Vol 173, 2023, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0278691523000261 (accessed 23 May 2023).
[34] Deni Bown, Encyclopedia of Herbs & Their Uses, 1995, 321.
[35] Lin Peng, et al., Identification and hepatoprotective activity of total glycosides of paeony with high content of paeoniflorin extracted from Paeonia lactiflora Pall, Food and Chemical Toxicology, Vol 173, 2023, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0278691523000261 (accessed 23 May 2023).
[36] W Wang, et al., Paeonol Ameliorates Chronic Itch and Spinal Astrocytic Activation via CXCR3 in an Experimental Dry Skin Model in Mice, Frontiers in Pharmacology, 13 January 2022, Vol 12, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8794748/ (accessed 23 May 2023).
[37] Yun-Xia Shao, et al., Paeoniflorin inhibits high glucose-induced macrophage activation through TLR2-dependent signal pathways, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Vol 193, 2016, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378874116305773 (accessed 23 May 2023).
[38] DY He, et al., Anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of paeonia lactiflora pall., a traditional chinese herbal medicine. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 25 February 2011, Vol 2, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3108611/ (accessed 22 May 2023).
[39] P Xu, et al., A tissue-specific profile of miRNAs and their targets related to paeoniaflorin and monoterpenoids biosynthesis in Paeonia lactiflora Pall. by transcriptome, small RNAs and degradome sequencing, PLoS One, 26 January 2023, Vol 18 No 1, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9879538/ (accessed 23 May 2023).
[40] Lin Peng, et al., Identification and hepatoprotective activity of total glycosides of paeony with high content of paeoniflorin extracted from Paeonia lactiflora Pall, Food and Chemical Toxicology, Vol 173, 2023, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0278691523000261 (accessed 23 May 2023).
[41] Deni Bown, Encyclopedia of Herbs & Their Uses, 1995, 321.
[42] Deni Bown, Encyclopedia of Herbs & Their Uses, 1995, 321.
[43] DY He, et al., Anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of paeonia lactiflora pall., a traditional chinese herbal medicine. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 25 February 2011, Vol 2, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3108611/ (accessed 22 May 2023).
[44] P Xu, et al., A tissue-specific profile of miRNAs and their targets related to paeoniaflorin and monoterpenoids biosynthesis in Paeonia lactiflora Pall. by transcriptome, small RNAs and degradome sequencing, PLoS One, 26 January 2023, Vol 18 No 1, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9879538/ (accessed 23 May 2023).
[45] DY He, et al., Anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of paeonia lactiflora pall., a traditional chinese herbal medicine. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 25 February 2011, Vol 2, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3108611/ (accessed 22 May 2023).
[46] P Xu, et al., A tissue-specific profile of miRNAs and their targets related to paeoniaflorin and monoterpenoids biosynthesis in Paeonia lactiflora Pall. by transcriptome, small RNAs and degradome sequencing, PLoS One, 26 January 2023, Vol 18 No 1, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9879538/ (accessed 23 May 2023).
[47] Lin Peng, et al., Identification and hepatoprotective activity of total glycosides of paeony with high content of paeoniflorin extracted from Paeonia lactiflora Pall, Food and Chemical Toxicology, Vol 173, 2023, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0278691523000261 (accessed 23 May 2023).
[48] DY He, et al., Anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of paeonia lactiflora pall., a traditional chinese herbal medicine. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 25 February 2011, Vol 2, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3108611/ (accessed 22 May 2023).
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