The difference between white peony root and red peony root

White peony root and red peony root are both medicinal foods. We know that any medicinal food can help treat some diseases, so it is very important to understand the nature and characteristics of these medicines, because only in this way can we distinguish similar foods, otherwise we will use them as the same medicine. Because each medicine has its own unique effects.

Whether it is food or medicine, even the most similar foods are different, which is one of the reasons why they are separated. Each food exists independently and has its own nutritional value that is beneficial to the body, so only by understanding them can we eat them better. So what is the difference between white peony root and red peony root?

Peony (its root) is used as medicine, and is divided into red peony root and white peony root. Red peony root tastes bitter and is cool in nature. It has the effects of removing blood stasis, relieving pain, cooling blood and reducing swelling. It has a good therapeutic effect on intestinal bleeding, irregular menstruation, spontaneous sweating and night sweats, red and swollen eyes, abdominal pain, and flank pain. Pharmacological analysis shows that peony contains paeoniflorin, benzoic acid, volatile oil, resin, sugar, starch, etc., which have inhibitory effects on Shigella dysenteriae and Staphylococcus, and have analgesic, sedative and anticonvulsant effects. White peony root is the root of the perennial herbaceous plant Paeonia lactiflora of the Ranunculaceae family, without the outer bark. It is cool in nature and has basically the same effects as red peony root. It is traditionally used for yin deficiency fever, spontaneous sweating and night sweats, and is mainly used to treat dizziness, headache, chest and flank pain, dysentery abdominal pain, appendicitis abdominal pain, gastrocnemius spasm, dysmenorrhea and irregular menstruation.

Modern pharmacological research has found that the main active ingredient of white peony root is paeoniflorin. This ingredient has many functions such as increasing coronary flow, improving myocardial blood flow, dilating blood vessels, fighting acute myocardial ischemia, inhibiting platelet aggregation, sedation, analgesia, pain relief, anti-inflammatory, and anti-ulcer; especially in enhancing the body's immune function, it has a good effect. Further studies have shown that white peony root has a protective effect on liver macrophage damage and can increase the phagocytic function of peritoneal macrophages by 30%, thereby enhancing the body's resistance. It is also confirmed that fried white peony root is good for nourishing blood, while raw white peony root is good for calming the liver.

Practical tips include:

1. Abdominal pain: 30 grams of white peony root and 9 grams of licorice, decocted in water and taken orally.

2. Dizziness and headache: 12 grams of white peony root, 15 grams of angelica root, and 10 grams of Chuanxiong. Boil in water and take warm in 3 doses, 1 dose per day.

3. Dysmenorrhea: 9 grams of white peony root, 3 grams of dried ginger, and 20 grams of brown sugar, decocted in water and taken orally.

4. Nosebleed that does not stop: Take 20 grams of red peony root, decocted in water.

5. Angina pectoris: 15 grams of red peony root, 10 grams of salvia miltiorrhiza, 12 grams of Sophora japonica flower, and 3 grams of myrrh. Grind them into powder, make them into pills with refined honey, and take 12 to 18 grams daily.

6. Abdominal pain during menstruation: 6 grams of peony flowers and an appropriate amount of polished rice are cooked into porridge and consumed once in the morning and evening.

7. Acute mastitis: 30 grams of red peony root and 6 grams of licorice, decocted in water and taken orally.

8. Abdominal pain caused by dysentery: 30 grams of red peony root and 30 grams of phellodendron, decocted in water, remove the residue, and take with honey.

9. Various ascites diseases such as liver cirrhosis: It has the effect of draining ascites, relieving pain and alleviating symptoms.

The method is: 100 grams of raw white peony, 100 grams of raw yam, and 50 grams of raw licorice, 1 dose per day, decocted in water.

Note: The above prescription is used to treat ascites caused by long-term illness and physical weakness, and it can eliminate evil without harming the body. For those with stronger constitutions, 6 grams of rhubarb can be taken for faster results.

10. Constipation: 20-40 grams of raw white peony root and 10-15 grams of raw licorice, decocted in water and taken orally. This method is effective quickly. Generally, 2-4 doses can produce soft stools, and there is no risk of hard stools forming again after defecation.

The difference between white peony and red peony is not only in the ingredients used to make the medicine, their effects are also different. Eating white peony can help improve the myocardium, while eating red peony can help us treat some swelling and pain. Eating red peony is very helpful for regulating women's irregular menstruation. White peony can also increase our resistance, so both have their own effects and functions.