Mǔ Dān Pí (牡丹皮), known in English as Tree peony root bark (Paeonia suffruticosa (root bark)), is a cool, bitter and acrid Chinese herb from the Clear heat category. It enters the Heart, Liver and Kidney channels. Its main action: clears Heat, cools Blood.
| Pinyin | Mǔ Dān Pí (Mu Dan Pi) |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 牡丹皮 |
| English | Tree peony root bark |
| Botanical name | Paeonia suffruticosa (root bark) |
| Category | Clear heat |
| Nature | Cool |
| Flavour | Bitter, Acrid |
| Channels | Heart, Liver, Kidney |
| Dosage | 6–12g |
| Cautions | Pregnancy (use with caution); heavy menstruation; Blood deficiency with Cold |
Actions
- Clears Heat, cools Blood
- Invigorates Blood, dispels stasis
- Clears deficiency Heat
Indications
- Heat in Ying and Blood with rashes, vomiting blood or nosebleed
- Night fevers that cool by morning
- Steaming bone without sweating
- Amenorrhoea and dysmenorrhoea
- Abdominal masses
- Traumatic injury
- Carbuncles and sores
How to remember Mǔ Dān Pí
Clear heat herbs are mostly cool or cold and bitter, and most enter the Stomach and Liver channels.
- You can work these out
- Cool, Bitter, Liver channel: like most Clear heat herbs
- Learn by heart
- Acrid: unusual for Clear heat herbs (most are bitter)
- Heart and Kidney channels: nothing in its group or its actions points to them
Formulas containing Mǔ Dān Pí
- Liù Wèi Dì Huáng Wán
- Zhī Bǎi Dì Huáng Wán
- Jīn Guì Shèn Qì Wán
- Jiā Wèi Xiāo Yáo Sǎn
- Qīng Jīng Sǎn
- Gé Xià Zhú Yū Tāng
- Wēn Jīng Tāng
- Shí Huī Sǎn
- Qǐ Jú Dì Huáng Wán
- Qīng Wèi Sǎn
- Xī Jiǎo Dì Huáng Tāng
Other Clear heat herbs
- Shí Gāo
- Zhī Mǔ
- Huáng Qín
- Huáng Lián
- Huáng Bǎi
- Lóng Dǎn Cǎo
- Zhī Zǐ
- Jīn Yín Huā
- Lián Qiào
- Pú Gōng Yīng
- Tiān Huā Fěn
- Lú Gēn
- Zhú Yè
- Xià Kū Cǎo
- Jué Míng Zǐ
- Kǔ Shēn
- Qín Pí
- Bái Xiān Pí
- Zǐ Huā Dì Dīng
- Bái Huā Shé Shé Cǎo
- Bǎn Lán Gēn
- Tǔ Fú Líng
- Shè Gān
- Dì Gǔ Pí
- Qīng Hāo
- Yín Chái Hú
- Hú Huáng Lián
- Chì Sháo
- Xuán Shēn
- Shuǐ Niú Jiǎo
- Bái Wēi
- Bái Tóu Wēng
- Bài Jiàng Cǎo
- Yú Xīng Cǎo
- Shān Dòu Gēn
- Mǎ Bó
- Yě Jú Huā
- Lǜ Dòu
- Hé Yè
Test yourself
What is the nature and flavour of Mǔ Dān Pí?
Mǔ Dān Pí is cool and bitter and acrid.
Which channels does Mǔ Dān Pí enter?
Mǔ Dān Pí enters the Heart, Liver and Kidney channels.
What are the actions of Mǔ Dān Pí?
Clears Heat, cools Blood; Invigorates Blood, dispels stasis; Clears deficiency Heat.
What is Mǔ Dān Pí used for?
Heat in Ying and Blood with rashes, vomiting blood or nosebleed; night fevers that cool by morning; steaming bone without sweating; amenorrhoea and dysmenorrhoea; abdominal masses; traumatic injury; carbuncles and sores.
Which formulas contain Mǔ Dān Pí?
Liù Wèi Dì Huáng Wán, Zhī Bǎi Dì Huáng Wán, Jīn Guì Shèn Qì Wán, Jiā Wèi Xiāo Yáo Sǎn, Qīng Jīng Sǎn, Gé Xià Zhú Yū Tāng, Wēn Jīng Tāng, Shí Huī Sǎn, Qǐ Jú Dì Huáng Wán, Qīng Wèi Sǎn and Xī Jiǎo Dì Huáng Tāng.
Practise Mǔ Dān Pí and the other 290 herbs
Recognise each herb from its picture, recall its nature, flavour, channels and actions, and review it again just before you would forget it.
Try the 5-question herb quizShen Study is a study tool. Doses and cautions are as taught in standard Chinese materia medica texts; they are not prescribing advice.