Herb module
Bai Shao
White Peony RootPaeonia lactiflora
The pale root of the garden peony, used to nourish Blood, soften the Liver, and ease tight, cramping muscles.
Bai Shao is the root of the peony, one of the most widely used herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is cool and gentle, and it is used to nourish Blood, protect Yin, and soften a tense, overworked Liver. That is why it appears in four Zoi formulas, including Pain Release™, Metabolic Balance™, Women's Health | Ríza™, and Digestive Relief | Édafos™.
Best functions
- Nourishes the Blood and helps keep the menstrual cycle regular
- Softens and calms the Liver, settling rising Liver Yang and Liver Wind
- Preserves and holds in Yin, and harmonizes Ying and Wei
- Used to relax muscle cramping and spasms
- Traditionally used to ease pain
Fascinating facts
- A simple way to remember Bai Shao: the white peony softens, soothes, and preserves.
- The plant is the familiar garden peony, with big, fragrant flowers in late spring. Bai Shao is the root of this plant.
- White peony root has a cousin, Red Peony Root (Chi Shao). Both are cool and enter the Liver and Spleen, but red peony is used to move Blood and clear Heat, while white peony is used to nourish Blood and soothe.
- Research has looked at paeoniflorin, a compound in the root, and studies suggest it helps smooth muscle relax. In animal studies, the root eased contractions of the intestinal muscles.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine
Bai Shao is cool in nature, with a bitter and sour flavor. It enters the Liver and Spleen channels, and it is a Blood-regulating herb.
Biomedical deep dive
Bai Shao White Peony Root
From the Zoi Medicinals fact sheets’ Biomedical Details, with lines from Noa’s herb notes marked “Noa’s notes”.
On the fact sheet
- Bai Shao (Paeonia lactiflora) is cool and enters the LIV and SP meridians; nourishes Blood, softens and calms the Liver, preserves Yin, alleviates pain, and relieves muscle cramping and spasms. Pain Release sheet
- Bai Shao (White Peony Root, Paeoniae alba) is cool and enters the LIV and SP channels; nourishes the Blood, regulates the menses, astringes Yin and adjusts Ying and Wei, Calms Liver Yang, Liver Wind, softens the liver and alleviates pain. Metabolic Balance · Women’s Health | Ríza · Digestive Relief | Édafos sheets
Key active constituents
- Paeoniflorin, a compound in the root studied for pain relief and liver protection
Pharmacology and mechanisms
- Bai Shao activates the adenosine A1 receptor, part of the body's own pain-calming system, which helps reduce inflammation and pain signaling.
- It appears to enhance natural adenosine-based pathways that calm nerve activity, helping to interrupt the pain-spasm cycle.
- Along with Dan Shen, Du Huo and others in Pain Release, it impacts pain by modulating NF-κB (a master switch for inflammation).
- White peony root has reported sedative and analgesic (pain-relieving) actions.
- Contains paeoniflorin, albiflorin, paeonol and galloylpaeoniflorin. Noa’s notes
- Anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, analgesic, sedative and hepatoprotective (liver-protecting) properties. Noa’s notes
- Paeoniflorin relaxes smooth muscle, likely by blocking calcium channels. Noa’s notes
- Inhibits COX-2 and prostaglandin production (inflammation messengers). Noa’s notes
- Modulates immune function and helps balance T-helper cells (Th1/Th2). Noa’s notes
- Inhibits platelet aggregation (blood cell clumping). Noa’s notes
What the research says
- In mice, white peony root was shown to inhibit intestinal smooth muscle contraction and gastric acid secretion (Tan et al., Front Pharmacol 2020).
- Paeoniflorin's pain-relieving action was shown to involve adenosine A1 receptors (Ohta et al., Japanese Journal of Pharmacology 1993).
- In a report of 85 people with intestinal spasms and cramps, a formula of white peony root, cinnamon and other herbs was associated with symptom remission (Chen & Chen, Chinese Medical Herbology & Pharmacology 2003).
- Studies list white peony among the herbs with liver-protective effects; paeoniflorin protected the liver from ischemia/reperfusion injury in mice (Xie et al., Phytother Res 2018).
Safety, interactions and cautions
- Every Zoi fact sheet: do not use if pregnant or breastfeeding unless directed by your health care practitioner.
- The Pain Release fact sheet cautions that the formula contains multiple blood-moving herbs, so use caution with anticoagulant or antiplatelet medicines (warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel), as effects may be stronger.
- The Metabolic Balance fact sheet cautions that the formula may be contraindicated with prescription blood thinners or anti-diabetic drugs.
- Use with caution in diarrhea from Spleen deficiency, or Cold-Damp conditions of the Spleen and Stomach. · Noa’s notes
- Avoid during the acute phase of exterior disorders; caution in Cold from deficiency without constraint. Noa’s notes
- May enhance anticoagulant or antiplatelet medicines, especially at high doses. Noa’s notes
- Possible interactions with benzodiazepines and other CNS depressants (sedating medicines). Noa’s notes
- May affect blood sugar when used with antidiabetic medicines. Noa’s notes
- Metabolic Balance™ is not for everyday use in children. It can be used short term to support the gut with parasites or gut infections in children, at 1 dropper full 3x per day. Always review an infection with your physician.
In these Zoi formulas
- ★ Digestive Relief | Édafos (#2 on the fact sheet)
- Pain Release (#7 on the fact sheet)
- Metabolic Balance (#9 on the fact sheet)
- Women’s Health | Ríza (#6 on the fact sheet)
