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Herb Profile
White Peony
Paeonia lactiflora
White Peony (Paeonia lactiflora) carries a Grade C rating — limited evidence.
Last reviewed: •3 sources citedReport a correctionProfile-wide ·C Limited
Use extra caution — CNS active potential; avoid stacking with sedatives, alcohol, sleep aids, antidepressants, or other psychoactive supplements without clinician review. Details
- Evidence
- Limited Evidence
- Typical onset
- Varies by prep
- Safety rating
- High caution
- Best for
- Anti Inflammatory, Muscle Relaxant, Liver Support, Stress
- Avoid / review if
- Pregnancy Without Clinician Guidance, Anticoagulant Use Without Review, Potential Additive Bleeding Risk With Anticoagulants/Antiplatelets
At a glance
From this profile's structured data- Evidence
- Grade C
- Safety
- CNS-active potential; avoid stacking with sedatives, alcohol, sleep aids, antidepressants, or other psychoactive supplements without clinician review.
- Profile context
- anti_inflammatory, muscle_relaxant, liver_support
Next stepsWhere to go next — guides & comparisons
Continue reading
- If you want help with anxiety or stress → Anxiety & stress guides
- If you want to browse more herbs → All herbs
Safety
Safety & Cautions
CNS active potential; avoid stacking with sedatives, alcohol, sleep aids, antidepressants, or other psychoactive supplements without clinician review. Avoid pregnancy/breastfeeding use unless supervised.
High caution
Caution level: High. Multiple caution categories apply, or the record uses avoid/contraindication language.
- Anticoagulant CautionBleeding or anticoagulant-adjacent caution language is present.
- Pregnancy/Breastfeeding CautionPregnancy or breastfeeding caution language is present.
Detailed safety fields
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and contraindications
- Pregnancy Without Clinician Guidance
- Anticoagulant Use Without Review
- Potential Additive Bleeding Risk With Anticoagulants/Antiplatelets
- May Interact With Immunomodulators.
Safety classifications
- Anticoagulant Caution: Bleeding or anticoagulant-adjacent caution language is present.
- Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Caution: Pregnancy or breastfeeding caution language is present.
Full safety note
- CNS active potential; avoid stacking with sedatives, alcohol, sleep aids, antidepressants, or other psychoactive supplements without clinician review. Avoid pregnancy/breastfeeding use unless supervised.
Safety labels
- Anticoagulant Caution
- Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Caution
Evidence-based safety
Caution when combined
Severity and certainty are shown separately. A high-priority caution can still be theoretical: these pairings are screened from shared contraindication mechanisms and are not automatically documented clinical interactions. Provenance identifies the source fields that produced each flag; it does not upgrade the certainty of the pairwise claim.
High-Priority Caution
147 flagged pairingsBleeding / anticoagulant risk
High-Priority Caution
147 flagged pairingsBleeding / anticoagulant risk
Representative pairings are shown below. Large mechanism groups are intentionally summarized to keep profiles focused and crawl-efficient.
Bleeding / anticoagulant riskCertainty: Theoretical
Data provenance recorded for 147 of 147 pairings in this mechanism group.
- aescin — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Aged Garlic Extract — Theoretical interaction certainty
- ajoene — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Ajwain — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Allicin — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Garlic — Theoretical interaction certainty
- American Ginseng Extract — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Andrographis — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Angelica Archangelica — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Angelica Dahurica — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Angelica Pubescens — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Angelica Root — Theoretical interaction certainty
+135 more pairings share this mechanism. Use the Safety Checker to review a specific combination.
Evidence
Evidence Summary
Evidence lens
Read as directional context, not settled clinical proof.
LimitedLimited Evidence
Human clinical evidence: Not the primary signal
Mechanistic / preclinical: Mechanism mapped — Inflammatory Signaling Modulation · Immune Signaling Modulation · Stress Response Modulation
Research maturity: Theoretical / mechanistic research — Mechanistic or unresolved evidence is kept separate from established human outcomes.
Safety boundary: Safety note available — CNS active potential; avoid stacking with sedatives, alcohol, sleep aids, antidepressants, or other psychoactive supplements without clinician review.
This profile cites 3 human studies.
Study design details
Evidence Grade
Grade C: Limited Evidence
Evaluation of methodological rigor, population reach, and evidence alignment.
- Design Match
- Narrative review
- Risk of Bias
- High
- Consistency
- Not assessed
Strongest recorded design is a narrative review, drawn from 1 recorded study, none of which measured an outcome in people.
How evidence grades work
Each grade reflects the strength and consistency of published human evidence — not marketing claims. Grades are based on study count, design quality, effect size, consistency, and recency.
- Strong
- Multiple RCTs, consistent direction, adequate effect size
- Moderate
- Some RCTs or consistent observational data in humans
- Preliminary / Mixed
- Animal or in-vitro only, or conflicting human data
- Traditional / Theoretical
- Traditional use only; no controlled human trials
Clinical Study Summaries (3)0 human evidence sources · 0 human trials · Participant totals not consistently reported · Consistency not yet classifiable
Filter by study class
Showing 3 of 3 studies.
What the evidence actually shows
This table contains 3 structured sources, including 0 human evidence sources; 0 are human trials.
| Study | Design | N | Dose | Duration | Population | Outcome | Result & magnitude | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Advancement in the chemical analysis of Paeoniae Radix (Shaoyao) Yan B et al. · J Pharm Biomed Anal · 2018 Background | Narrative review Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review. | — | — | — | — | — | — | PubMed → |
Liu X et al. · Carbohydr Polym · 2024 Background | Other / unclear The study design is not yet classified clearly enough to infer its place in the evidence hierarchy. | — | — | — | — | — | — | PubMed → |
Bashatwah RM et al. · Nutrients · 2026 Background | Other / unclear The study design is not yet classified clearly enough to infer its place in the evidence hierarchy. | — | — | — | — | — | — | PubMed → |
Dosing & Timing
- No standardized dose
- Preparation specific; use standardized product label for Root decoction/extract and require source backed dosage review before therapeutic claims.
How White Peony works
Simplified mechanism pathway based on preclinical and pharmacological evidence. Does not confirm clinical efficacy.
Mechanism Pathway — How White Peony Works
CompoundTarget / ReceptorMechanismEffect / Outcome
Mechanisms & biological pathways (preclinical)
- Inflammatory Signaling Modulation
- Immune Signaling Modulation
- Stress Response Modulation
Active Compounds
Key constituents studied in White Peony, with full pharmacology and safety profiles.
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Safety first · Harm reduction
This information is educational and not medical advice. Start low, avoid risky combinations, and consult a licensed clinician before making health decisions—especially if you use medications, have diagnosed conditions, or are pregnant/breastfeeding.
Learn how we evaluate confidence, safety, and intensity on the methodology page.
Editorial Review
Checked against primary sources, cited evidence, and contraindication language before publication. Evidence claims, safety language, and affiliate modules are reviewed independently. Not personal medical advice.
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