bai shao

白芍·Radix Paeoniae Alba

peony

About bai shao

Bai Shao (白芍) is the root of the white peony, a plant of the buttercup family, recorded as Radix Paeoniae Alba. It is bitter and sour in flavour, slightly cold, and enters the Liver and Spleen channels. The catalogue files it among the herbs that tonify Blood; its recorded uses centre on Liver Blood and on softening the Liver.

Names

Pinyinbai shao
Chinese白芍
Latin NameRadix Paeoniae Alba
English Namepeony·White Peony Root·white peony root; peony
JapaneseByakushaku
Koreanbaekjack·Baekjak

Classification

Category
Astringents, Anti-inflammatory, Alteratives, Antispasmodic, Tonify Blood, Analgesics, Antimicrobials
Channels
Spleen, Liver
Flavour
Bitter, Sour
Temperature
Slightly Cold
Family
Ranunculaceae
Species
Paeonia Lactiflora
Tags
Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Nourishes Blood and regulates menstruation

  • Liver Blood deficiency showing as irregular periods, uterine bleeding or vaginal discharge, with a pale dull complexion and brittle nails
  • Painful periods, and disorders of pregnancy or the postpartum period, from Blood deficiency weakening the Ren and Chong vessels
  • Anemia
  • Premenstrual tension with breast distension

Preserves Yin and harmonises the Ying and Wei

  • Night sweats and spontaneous sweating from Yin deficiency
  • Sweating from collapse of Yin
  • Ying and Wei out of harmony, with sweating that does not resolve the exterior condition
  • Liver and Spleen disharmony

Calms Liver Yang and extinguishes Liver Wind

  • Yang of the Liver rising on a base of Yin and Blood deficiency: headache, dizziness and vertigo, ringing in the ears, redness of the eyes and face, and irritability
  • Internal Wind from depleted Blood and Yin, with tremor, twitching and muscle spasm, progressing to convulsions in severe cases
  • Liver Qi constraint with Liver Yang rising

Softens the Liver and relieves pain

  • Cramping and spasm of the sinews and muscles, including the calves
  • Hypochondriac, intercostal or abdominal pain from Liver and Spleen disharmony
  • Abdominal pain, borborygmus and diarrhea
  • Painful Bi with spasm, from Blood deficiency
  • Dysentery with tenesmus

Combinations

Dosage

AgeRawGranuleTinctureConcentrateFrequency
Any 5-30g; Tincture: 2-4ml5-30 g—2-4 ml——

Cautions

Interactions

Antagonistic with

Drug interactions

Prepared forms (1)

bai shao Chao

白芍·Radix Paeoniae Alba Preparata

Bai shao chao (白芍) is the dry-fried form of bai shao, the root of white peony, a Ranunculaceae species supplied as Radix Paeoniae Alba Preparata. The catalogue files it among the substances that tonify Blood, on the Liver and Spleen channels.

The catalogue records no separate actions, dose or cautions for this preparation. Unless noted above it follows bai shao.