Details of Medicinal Plants

Chinese Peony

Paeonia lactiflora Pall. var. trichocarpa (Bunge) Stearn Paeoniaceae

This perennial is distributed from the upper Korean peninsula and NE China to the eastern part of Siberia. Its plant height is 50 to 60 cm. Medicinal hybrids are cultured in Nara and Hokkaido prefecture. Horticultural hybrids are popular and hybrids with variously colored flowers are bred not only in Japan but also worldwide.

Part used: root
Medicinal use: antispasmodic and analgesic
Main component: paeoniflorin

"Bonten", the representative medicinal hybrid, blooms in mid-May in Japan.

This plant is propagated by separation at the roots. It takes five years until harvest, and to reach a diameter of 30cm.

The name of the herbal medicine is "Peony Root" (left: without skin, right: with skin). A more than 2.0% paeoniflorin content is required.