The benefits and effects of Danpi (tree peony bark) are mainly reflected in clearing heat and cooling the blood, and in activating blood circulation to remove stasis.

Danpi, also called mudanpi, is the dried root bark of the peony (Paeonia suffruticosa) of the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, and it is also a Chinese medicinal herb with a long history of use. It has a delicate fragrance and a slightly bitter and astringent taste, and is commonly found in formulas for clearing heat and cooling the blood and for activating blood circulation to remove stasis. It is cultivated in many provinces across the country, and the Fengdanpi produced in Anhui is relatively well known on the medicinal herb market.

From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, Danpi is slightly cold in nature and bitter and pungent in taste, and enters the heart, liver and kidney meridians. Its main effects are clearing heat and cooling the blood, and activating blood circulation to remove stasis. In clinical practice it is often used in combinations for warm-heat diseases in which heat has entered the blood level, with skin spots and rashes, as well as for blood-stasis amenorrhea and traumatic injuries. Modern research suggests that Danpi contains components such as paeonol, and its related pharmacological value is still being continuously explored.

In daily use, Danpi is mostly added to decoctions in the form of sliced medicinal pieces, and it can also be used together with other medicinal herbs; the specific dosage and method of use should be determined by a physician according to the individual's constitution and situation. Besides its medicinal use, the peony itself is also a famous ornamental flower, combining medicinal use of the root bark with flower appreciation, which is also what makes the plant source of Danpi special.

It should be noted that Danpi is rather cold in medicinal nature and is not suitable for everyone. Pregnant women, people with heavy menstrual flow, and those with deficiency-cold of the spleen and stomach should treat it with caution, and neither self-prescribing herbs nor long-term use is advisable. If you wish to use Danpi to regulate your body, it is recommended to first consult a licensed Chinese medicine practitioner and use it after syndrome differentiation, so as to avoid the medicine not matching the syndrome and instead bringing a burden.