INDIVIDUAL HERBS

Pharmaceutical Latin: Radix Paeoniae Rubra
Common English: Red Peony Root
Herbs That Invigorate the Blood: Herbs that Clear Heat and Cool the Blood
Taste Temperature Entering Meridians Dosage
Sour
Bitter
Slightly Cold
(Cool)
Liver
Spleen
(Heart)
4.5-15g
Tincture: 2-4ml
Actions Indications/Syndromes

Invigorates the Blood, dispels Blood Stasis and relieves pain

Blood Stasis with dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, abdominal pain, fixed abdominal masses and varicose veines

Traumatic injury with bruising, pain and swelling

Clears Heat and cools the Blood

Xue Stage Heat or Blood Heat with fever, a purple tongue, maculae, hemorrhage and Blood Heat gynecological problems

Clears Liver Fire and relieves eye pain Liver Fire with redness, swelling and pain of the eyes
Reduces swelling from sores and abscesses Early stage abscesses and boils
CONTRAINDICATIONS
  • Do not use for those with diarrhea.
  • Do not use postpartum if the lochia has already passed.
  • Do not use if the abdominal pain has already ceased.
  • Do not use if sores have already perforated.
  • Use caution with Blood Deficiency.
  • Use caution with Deficiency Cold.
INCOMPATIBILITIES
  • Do not use with Rz. Veratri Li Lu
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS
  • Use with caution in conjunction with anticoagulants such as heparin, warfarin (Coumadin) and exoparin (Lovenox) and antiplatelet drugs such as aspirin, dipyridamole (Persantine) and clopidogrel (Plavix) as there may be a synergistic effect.

Rx. Ligustici Chuanxiong
Chuan Xiong
Rx. Angelicae Sinensis
Dang Gui
(Pollen Typhae)
(Pu Huang)

Sm. Persicae
Tao Ren

 

Rz. Cyperi
Xiang Fu

Blood-Stasis induced gynecological disorders such as immobile abdominal masses and amenorrhea with abdominal pain.

Abscesses, boils and trauma induced pain.

Blood Stasis induced menstrual disorders, especially those characterized by early period, excessive bleeding and thick purple clots.

Flank pain, abdominal pain and dysmenorrhea due to Qi and Blood Stagnation.

Olibanum
Ru Xiang
Myrrh
Mo
Yao

Olibanum
Ru Xiang
Myrrh
Mo Yao
Flos Lonicerae
Jin Yin Hua
Fr. Forsythiae
Lian Qiao

Flos Chrysanthemi
Ju Hua
Rx. Scutellariae
Huang Qin

Bruising, swelling and pain from traumatic injury.

Pain and swelling associated with boils and abscesses.

Redness, pain and swelling of the eyes.

Rx. Paeoniae Alba
Bai Shao

Cx. Moutan Radicis
Mu Dan Pi
Rx. Rehmanniae
Sheng Di Huang

Rx. Arnebiae/Lithospermi
Zi Cao
Periostracum Cicadae
Chan Tui
Flos Carthami
Hong Hua

Spasms and cramping pain associated with Blood Deficiency and Blood Stagnation.

Heat entering the Xue Stage causing maculae or hemorrhage.

Maculae that are dull and not very red associated with Warm pathogen diseases.

Hb. Cirsii
Xiao Ji

Rx. et Rz. Rhei
Da Huang

Cx. Moutan Radicis
Mu Dan Pi

Painful, bloody urinary dribbling. (Blood Lin)

Chronic accumulation in the abdomen, blockage of urine, constipation, Qi rushing upward to the Heart, abdominal distention and rebellious damage from food and drink.

Cools the Blood and disperses Stasis, for Ying Stage Heat with epistaxis, hemoptysis, hemafecia, hematuria, menorrhagia and skin rashes.

Blood Stasis disorders. (amenorrhea, menstrual pain, traumatic injury)

Hb. Cirsii
Xiao Ji

Rz. Imperatae
Bai Mao Gen
Rx. Rubiae
Qian Cao Gen

Sm. Persicae
Tao Ren

Flos Carthami
Hong Hua

Rz. Chuanxiong
Chuan Xiong

Rz. Corydalis
Yan Hu Suo
Flos Carthami
Hong Hua

Faeces Trogopterori
Wu Ling Zhi
Rz. Cyperi
Xiang Fu

Hematuria.

Blood Stagnation in the chest.

Blood Stagnation in the hypochondrium.

Olibanum
Ru Xiang
Myrrh
Mo Yao
Rz. Sparganii
San Leng
Rz. Curcumae
E Zhu

Rx. Astragali
Huang Qi
Pheretima
Di Long

Flos Lonicerae
Jin Yin Hua
Olibanum
Ru Xiang
Sp. Gleditsiae
Zao Jiao Ci

Palpable abdominal masses.

Hemiplegia with Deficiency.

Sores and abscesses.

Flos Chrysanthemi
Ju Hua
Hb. Equiseti Hiemalis
Mu Zei
Sp. Prunellae
Xia Ku Cao

Sm. Plantaginis
Che Qian Zi
Talcum
Hua Shi

Rz. Imperatae
Bai Mao Gen
Nodus Nelumbinis Rhizomatis
Ou Jie

Redness, swelling and pain of the eyes.

Burning dysuria.

Hematuria.

  1. Some sources list this herb in the "Herbs That Clean Heat and Purge Fire: Herbs That Clean Heat and Cool Blood" category.
  2. Rx. Paeoniae Rubra Chi Shao and Rx. Paeoniae Alba Bai Shao are derived from the same plant. Chi Shao is usually gathered in the wild, while Bai Shao is usually cultivated.
  3. Bai Shao tonifies the Blood and Yin and relaxes spasms. Chi Shao cools the Blood and dispels Stasis.
  4. They are often used together for pain and irritability due to Liver Qi Stagnation or pain and swelling due to trauma.
  5. Dry-fried Chao Chi Shao reduces its cooling properties and is used for Blood Stasis without Heat.
  6. Wine-fried Jiu Chi Shao more strongly invigorates the Blood.
  7. Vinegar-fried Cu Chi Shao enables the herb to directly enter the Liver channel to strongly dispel Stasis and stop pain.
  8. This herb is said to dispel Qi and Blood Stagnation, and cure pathogenic Wind and severe abdominal pain.
  9. This herb is said to resolve solid masses, and periumbilical colic with mass due to Invasion of Cold and Heat.
  10. It has been shown to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
  11. This herb stands out for its vitalizing effect on coronary circulation and for its antithrombotic action.
  12. For incessant epistaxis, take 4.5g of the powder of this herb with water.
  13. This is the most astringent of the "three peony sisters" (Rx. Paeoniae Alba, Bai Shao, Rx. Paeoniae Rubra, Chi Shao and Cx. Moutan Radicis, Mu Dan Pi) and is most effective for relieving pelvic and uterine Blood congestion.
  14. Chi Shao Clears Heat, cools the Blood, dispels Stasis and stops pain, while Bai Shao nourishes the Blood, astringes Yin, softens the Liver and stops pain.
  15. Chi Shao and Mu Dan Pi  both cool Blood and dispel Stasis. Mu Dan Pi is more cooling and can clear Heat from the Blood associated with Excess and Deficiency. it focuses on the Heart channel. Chi Shao cannot clear Yin Deficiency Heat from the Blood, just Excess Heat, but its Blood-invigorating action is stronger an d it stops pain. it focuses on the Liver channel.