The All Powerful Peony Root: Si Wu Tang
There are four herbs in the Chinese formula Si Wu Tang, or Four Ladies Decoction. This formula is a great example of the power of the single herbs themselves, and how together the herbs in the formula become more effective and powerful as a whole.
The Power Of The Peony
White Peony Root is commonly used in gynecological formulas in Chinese medicine. Peonies are considered to be one of the longest living in the category of perennials, which mean the plants bloom year after year. The herbaceous varietal is native to Eastern China and has been cited for its use in Chinese formulas as early as the 1st century BC.
This herb is obtained by digging the roots of a 3-4-year-old cultivated white peony plant in the summer and autumn, which is then washed and cooked in warm water and finally dried in the sun. The end result is a peeled root with a white to pink appearance, unlike the red peony root with its outer layer and red color intact.
White Peony Root helps with a wide range of symptoms like abdominal pain, muscle spasms, and irregular periods in women. In traditional Chinese medicine, dried peony root is used to treat liver abnormalities, improve blood circulation.
More specifically, this herb has been used for the stresses of painful menstruation, known as dysmenorrhea, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and PCOS. A constituent in Peony called paeoniflorin has exhibited smooth muscle relaxant ability, analgesic qualities, as well as anti-spasmodic activity.
