Chinese Herbs In Western View - Mu Dan Pi or Dan Pi (Cortex Moutan Radicis) Health Benefits and Side Effects

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Mu Dan Pi or Dan Pi (Cortex Moutan Radicis) is also known as peony root. The acrid, bitter and mild cool herb has been used in TCM as anti micro organism, anti inflammatory agent and to enhance circulation and immune system, etc., as it clears heat and cools the blood, clears fire of yin deficiency, clear blood stasis and rid of clots, etc., by enhancing the functions of heart, liver and kidney channels.

Ingredients
1. paeonol
2. paeonoside
3. paeonolide
4. apiopaeonoside
5. ozypaeoniflorin
6. benzoylpaeoniflorin
7. benzoyl-oxypaeoniflorin
8. gallic aid
9. 1,23,4,6-pentagalloylglucose
10. Etc.


Health Benefits
1. Arthritis
In the comparison of the anti-arthritis effect and its mechanism of a combination of herbal extracts from Trachelospermi caulis (TC) and Moutan cortex radicis (MC) (TCMC), indicated that TCMC exerts an anti-arthritis effect in CIA mice by suppression of the production of various inflammatory factors and the formation of osteoclasts through the inhibition of NF-κB and AP-1 activation(1).

2.  Anti-inflammatory and anticoagulative effects
In the study to investigate Paeonol, n active component of Moutan Cortex Radicis and is widely used as an analgesic, antipyretic, and anti-inflammatory agent in traditional Chinese medicine, found that  paeonol successfully attenuates inflammatory and coagulation reactions to protect against acute lung injury (ALI)(2).

3. Asthma
In the study to determine whether Moutan Cortex Radicis (MCR), a plant extract, effects eotaxin secretion from A549 epithelial cells and eosinophil chemotaxis, and then examined the mechanism involved, indicated thatsuppressed eotaxin secretion by MCR treatment is due to the inhibition of NF-kappaB activation. Therefore, MCR might be of therapeutic value in treating asthma(3).

4. Anti-microbial and cytokine modulating effects
In the study of antimicrobial and cytokine modulating effects of herbal medicines in treating periodontal diseases, using the broth dilution method and disc agar diffusion test, in individual and combined decocted preparations, different concentrations of Ching-Wei-San and its individual herbal components, Coptidis rhizoma, Angelicae sinensis radix, Rehmanniae radixet rhizom, Moutan radicis cortex, and Cimicifuga foetida, were tested for in vitro inhibitory effects on three well-known plaque-causing bacteria, Porphyromonas gingivialis, Streptococcus sanguis, and Streptococcus mutans, and two common pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, showed that Ching-Wei-San at the 25,000 mg/mL concentration daily for the mice had significantly high levels in the liver function indexes in the 3-day acute toxicity test and in both the liver and kidney function indexes in the 28-day subacute toxicity test (P<0.01). The 250 mg/mL Ching-Wei-San is comparable to 250 mg/mL of tetracycline, and had similar inhibitory effects on the tested bacteria. Coptidis rhizoma (62.5 mg/mL) was the only individual herbal component to show 100% inhibitory effects. The mean cytokine ratios of IL-2, IL-4, IFN-gamma, and TNF-alpha in Balb/c mice treated with individual herbal components were shown to be different from each other. Ching-Wei-San modulated the immunity of mice, up-regulated IL-2, IL-4 and TNF-alpha, but down-regulated IFN-gamma(4)

5. Anti cancers
The investigated the effects of an oriental medicinal prescription, Geiji-Bokryung-Hwan (GBH) consisting of herbs of Cinnamomi Ramulus, Poria Cocos Hoelen (Pachymae Fungus), Moutan Cortex Radicis, Paeoniae Radix, and Persicae Semen, on growth-inhibitory activity and cancer chemopreventive activity in assays representing three major stages of carcinogenesis. The GBH was found to act as an potent inhibitor of cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 only but not as COX-2 inhibitor. Furthermore, the extract mediated anti-inflammatory effects and inhibited COX-associated hydroperoxidase functions (anti-promotion activity). Inhibitory effect of the GBH on the growth of cancer cell lines such as HepG2 cell and Hep3B cell was shown(5).

6. Etc.

Side Effects
1, Do not use the herb in case of excessive menstruation, bleeding due to Yin deficiency
2. Do not use the herb in newborn, children, or if you are pregnant or breast feeding without first consulting with related field specialist
3. Etc.

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For other Chinese herbs in western view, visit http://chineseherbsinnutrientsperspective.blogspot.com/2011/10/chinese-herbs-in-western-view-health.html

For other health researches, visit http://medicaladvisorjournals.blogspot.ca     
  

Sources
(1) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22309274
(2) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22454687 
(3) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17881168
(4) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16962225
(5) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16237957

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