Paeoniaceae · root
White peony
Paeonia lactiflora
Root mapped as Bai Shao: nourishes blood and softens Liver in constraint-with-blood-vacuity pictures.
Safety first
Often paired with licorice classically — glycyrrhizin still counts if the pair is used. Not a cramp protocol by itself.
Tradition vs trials
Traditional record. Bensky: Bai Shao preserves Yin, nourishes blood, and calms Liver Yang ascent in classical pairs.
Trial literature. Paeoniflorin pharmacology is mostly experimental. Human files are formula-level.
Practical ranges
Educational ranges — not a prescription. Culinary use is not an extract.
root in formulas
Pharmacopoeia decoction ranges of several grams in formulas
Chinese Pharmacopoeia / Bensky — Educational range only — not a prescription. A licensed clinician individualizes product, dose, and duration.
Pregnancy, nursing, children
- Pregnancy. Classical gynecologic use is not clearance for unsupervised pregnancy use.
- Nursing. Insufficient reliable data; avoid unless a clinician directs otherwise.
- Children. Insufficient reliable data; avoid unless a clinician directs otherwise.
Contraindications
- do not ignore the licorice in peony-licorice pairs
Key interactions
- anticoagulants · note
Theoretical; licorice pairing is the more practical BP/potassium issue.