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Peony Root
Peony Root
芍薬
Market name:芍薬
Photo location:Museum of Materia Medica, Inst. of Nat. Med.
TMPW No.:906
Paeonia lactiflora
Plant name:Paeonia lactiflora
Photo location:Toyama Pref., Japan
Photographer:K. Komatsu

Synonym  
Latin name Paeoniae Radix
Botanical source: Family name Paeoniaceae
Botanical source: Plant name Paeonia lactiflora Pallas (IPNI:711802-1)
Part used Dried root from which epidermis has been removed
Empirical criteria for quality selection Good paeonia root is thick, long, straight, hard and easy to grind. The unbarked one is astringent and bitter in taste. (TN)
Constituents Monoterpenoids:
[P. lactiflora Pall. var. trichocarpa Stern.]: Paeoniflorin, Albiflorin, Oxypaeoniflorin, Paeoniflorigenone, Paeonilactones;
[P. albiflora Pall. var. trichocarpa Bunge (metabolites)]: Paeonilactone-A, Paeonilactone-B, Paeonilactone-C;
[P. albiflora Pall.]: Paeoniflorin, Oxypaeoniflorin, Benzoylpaeoniflorin, Desbenzoylpaeoniflorin, Albiflorin, Paeoniflorigenone, 6-OAcetylpaeoniflorigenone,
and the following are metabolites: 7S-Paeonimetaboline I, 7R-Paeonimetaboline I, 6-OAcetylpaeonimetaboline I, Paeonimetaboline II, Paeonimetaboline III, Paeonilactone-A(Metabolite-A1), Paeonilactone-B(Metabolite-A2), Metabolite A1-acetate, 7S-Paeonimetaboline-6-O-3,5-dinitrophenyl carbamate, 7R-Paeonimetaboline-6-O-3,5-dinitrophenyl carbamate, 7S-8-(2-Carboxyethylthio)paeonimetabolin I, 7R-8-(2-Carboxyethylthio)paeonimetabolin I, 7S-8-(2-Hydroxyethylthio)paeonimetabolin I, 7R-8-(2-Hydroxyethylthio)paeonimetabolin I, 7S-8-Benzoylthiopaeonimetabolin I, 7R-8-enzoylthiopaeonimetabolin I, 7R-8-(Carboxymethylthio)paeonimetabolin I, 7S-8-(Carboxymethylthio)paeonimetabolin I, 7R-8-(2'-Carboxyethylthio)paeonimetabolin I, 7S-8-(2'-Carboxyethylthio)paeonimetabolin I, 7R-8-(5'-Carboxyethylthio)paeonimetabolin I, 7S-8-(5'-Carboxyethylthio)paeonimetabolin I, Pentaacetylpaeoniflorin, Tetraacetylpaeoniflorin, Albimetaboline I, Albimetaboline II;
[P. albiflora (metabolites)]: 7S-Paeonimetaboline I, 7R-Paeonimetaboline I, Paeonimetaboline II, Paronimetaboline III

Triterpenoids:
[P. albiflora]: Palbinone

Tannins:
Tetra~Undecagalloylglucose, d-Catechin, Procyanidin B-1;
[P. lactiflora var. trichocarpa]: Tetragalloylglucose, Pentagalloylglucose, Hexagalloylglucose;
[P. albiflora]: Gallotannins

Other aromatic compounds:
[P. lactiflora var. trichocarpa]: Benzoic acid
Pharmacological effects Antiinflammatory, antihypertensive, sedative (paeoniflorin). Inhibition of stress ulcer. Antispasmodic, improvement of experimental spatial cognitive impairment (water extract, paeoniflorin). Central antispasmodic effect (paeoniflorin, paeonimetabolin I). Antibacterial (Staphylococcus aureus and all).
Indications Painkiller and antispasmodic. It possesses reinforcement and astringent properties. It is used in the treatment of spasm of rectus abdominis, pain of gastrointestinal convulsion and liver, algomenorrhea, convulsion of limbs and vertigo.
Diseases Vertigo, Bleary eyes, Irregular menstruation, Night sweats, Pain due to flatulence of hypochondrium, Restlessness, Depression, Tenesmus, Diarrhea, Abdominal pain, Spasm of muscle and pain
Formulas ishoho , ifuto , ireito , uzukeishito , uzuto , ureitsukisan , unkeito , unseiin , ogikeishigomotsuto , ogikenchuto , ogibekkoto , ogonkahangeshokyoto , ogonto , oren'akyoto , kairosan , kagenryokakusan (kyoteiken) , kakkonkajutsubuto , kakkonkahangeto , kakkonkokato , kakkonto , kakkontokasenkyushin'i , kamishimotsuto , kamishoyosan , kamishoyosankasenkyujio , karokeishito , kigikenchuto , kyukikyogaito , kyukichoketsuindaiichikagen , keigairengyoto , keishieppito , keishikaogito , keishikakakkonto , keishikakeito , keishikakobokukyoninto , keishikashakuyakushokyoninjinto , keishikashakuyakudaioto , keishikashakuyakuto , keishikajutsubuto , keishikabushito , keishikaryukotsuboreito , keishikaryojutsubuto , keishikyokeikabukuryobyakujutsuto , keishishakuyakuchimoto , keishito , keishinieppiitto , keishinieppiittokajutsubu , keishibukuryogan , keishibukuryoganryokayokuinin , keimakakuhanto , kenchuto , kojito , goshitsusan , goshakusan , gorinsan , saikatsugekito , saikatsutokasenkyushin'i , saikokeishito , saikoseikanto , saikosokanto , saishakurikkunshito , shigyakusan , shikonboreito , shichimotsukokato , shimotsuto , shakuyakukanzoto , shakuyakukanzobushito , shakkan'oshimbuto , shokenchuto , shoseiryuto , shoseiryutokakyoninsekko , shoseiryutokasekko , shozokumeito , shomakakkonto , shoyosan , shinsentaitsuko , shimbuto , jiinkokato , jiinshihoto , jiketsujunchoto , jijintsujito , jijinmeimokuto , juzentaihoto , jurokumiryukiin , seinetsuhokito , seinetsuhoketsuto , sesshoin , senkanmeimokuto , sokeikakketsuto , daisaikoto , daisaikotokyodaio , daibofuto , chukenchuto , choreitogoshimotsuto , tokiinshi , tokikenchuto , tokisan , tokishigyakukagoshuyushokyoto , tokishigyakuto , tokishakuyakusan , tokishakuyakusankaogichoto , tokishakuyakusankaninjin , tokishakuyakusankabushi , tokito , dokkatsukakkonto , ninjin'yoeito , hainosan , hainosankyuto , fuhishomyakusan , bushito , bunshinkiin , hoyokangoto , hontonto (kinkiyoryaku) , bofutsushosan , mashiningan , yokuininto , yokukankashakuyaku , yokukansankashakuyakuoren , renjuin
Meridian tropism Liver
Property Slightly cold
Flavor Sour, Bitter
Classification in "Shen-non Ben-cao Jing" Middle
TCM: Classification Tonics
TCM: Medicinal effects To subdue hyperactivity of the liver and relieve pain, to nourish blood and regulate menstruation, and to check excessive perspiration.
Used for headache and dizziness, costal and abdominal pain, spasmodic pain of the limbs, anemia, menstrual disorders, spontaneous sweating and night sweating.
Remarks Listed in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia 18th ed.
References TN: T. Namba & Y. Tsuda ed., Outline of Pharmacognosy, a Textbook, 3rd ed., Nankodo Co., Ltd., Tokyo, 1998.
DNA sequences of medicinal plants
Gene Region
Nuclear Chloroplast Mitochondria
Botanical source: Plant name 5Ss 18S ITS1 5.8S ITS2 26S others trnH-psbA matK trnK trnK-rps16 trnT-L trnL trnL-F rbcL rpoC1 ndhF others
Paeonia lactiflora Pallas (IPNI:711802-1)
GPAT
 AY016249
Adh2
  DQ313772
 DQ313773
 AF009068
Adh1A
  AF009049
 AF009050
rps16-trnQ
 DQ313804
matR
 EU281114
 

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