Paeonia officinalis Health Dictionary

Linn.

Family: Paeoniaceae.

Habitat: Indigenous to Great Britain.

English: Paeony.

Unani: Ood Saleeb, Ood Gharqi.

Action: Root—antispasmodic, sedative, smooth muscle relaxant, vasodilatory, hypotensive, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, em- menagogue, hepatoprotective. Flower—used for diseases of mucous membranes, fissures, anal fissures associated with haemorrhoids, also for ailments of the respiratory tract, nervous conditions and skin diseases. Root— used for arthritis, neuralgia, neurasthenia, migraine, epilepsy, allergic disorders, whooping cough and painful spasms.

The herb gave monoterpene ester glucosides of the pinen-type (including paeoniflorin); anthocyanin including paeonin; tannins (pentagalloyl glucose); flavonoids including kaempferol glycosides.

Paeoniflorin shows a smooth muscle relaxant, vasodilatory, anti-inflammatory, immunostimulating and some CNS depressant activity in animal studies. Pentagalloyl glucose exhibited antiviral activity in animal studies in vitro against herpes simplex.

German Commission E included Paeony (flower and root) among un- approved herbs. The Pharmacopoeia of People's Republic of China indicates the use of the root in dementia, headache and vertigo. (WHO.)