Chinese Herbs by John D. Keys

Author:John D. Keys
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-4629-0129-6
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing

PAEONIA MOUTAN Sims.

(Ranunculaceae)

Tree peony. A much-branched perennial shrub, 1 m. tall. Leaves alternate, lengthily petiolate, 10-25 cm. long, bipinnate, the ultimate segments oval-oblong, acuminate, 3- to 5-lobed, pale beneath. Flowers solitary, 10-30 cm. in diameter, pink or red; July-August; sepals 5; petals 8-10, obovate; stamens numerous, nearly as long as the calyx. Fruit a densely pubescent follicle. Northern China. Cultivated. (Syn. P. suffruticosa Andr., P. arborea Donn.)

The root is used medicinally. It occurs as cylindrical fragments, 10-12 cm. long by 5-10 mm. thick, epidermis brown, the cross section revealing a very thick cortical parenchyma. The taste is at first sweetish, becoming somewhat bitter. The root contains the ketone paeonol (C9H10O3; white crystalline powder, very aromatic; m.p. 49°; soluble in alcohol, ether, chloroform), glycosides, and benzoic acid.118 Paeonol has been considered to be the monomethyl ether of resacetophenone.75 Melted with KOH, paeonol decomposes to yield resacetophenone, resorcylic acid, and resorcinol.126 Prescribed as antipyretic, emmenagogue, for infections of the digestive tract. Dose, 5-10 gm. Incompatibles: Fritillaria verticillata, Cuscuta japonica, Rheum officinale.

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