Mu Dan Pi (Cortex Moutan Radicis) is from the cortex of Paeonia suffruticoas Andr, family Ramunculaceae. The medicinal material is collected during the autumn and dried in the sun. It can be used in its crude form or after stir-baking.
Category: Heat Clearing – Blood Cooling.
Common Name: Moutan Root Bark; Tree Peony Root Bark.
Channels Entered: Heart, Liver and Kidney.
Properties and Functions: Mu Dan Pi is bitter and pungent in flavour, and slightly cold in nature. It has the functions of clearing Heat and cooling the Blood, clearing Fire due to deficiency, invigorating the Blood and dispelling stasis and clearing rising Liver-Fire.
Indications: Clinically, Mu Dan Pi can be used to treat the following:
- Blood-Heat syndrome manifested as maculae and papules, haematemesis and epistaxis by cooling the Blood and stopping bleeding.
- Febrile diseases injuring Yin and fever due to Yin deficiency accompanied by steaming bone disorder.
- Headache, eye pain, pain in the flanks, flushed face and dysmenorrhoea due to Blood-stasis syndrome.
- Amenorrhoea, abdominal masses, lumps or bruises following trauma which results in blood stagnation.
Dosage: 6 – 12g
Cautions and Contra-Indications: It is not suitable for use in cases of Blood deficiency with Cold; Use during preganancy and for women with excessive menses that isn’t due to Blood-Heat combined with Blood-stasis. This herb also counteracts Tu Si Zi, Chuan Bei Mu, Zhe Bei Mu and Da Huang.