White Peony Root/Bai Shao Yao/Paeonia Lactiflora, 1lb, 454g, Bulk Herb

This is real Bai Shao - I could tell the instant I opened the package and took a good smell of it. The herb I purchased (1 pound / 454 gram bag) arrived in a sealed padded mailer envelope, and the Bai Shao was sealed in a heavy plastic bag just like the way it's shown here on Amazon. It seems to be high quality - the root slices average around 40 to 50mm long with some longer and some shorter. All slices are of about the same thickness. I washed all of the herb by dumping out the bag into a large strainer, then soaking it in a small tub of clean cool water for 5 minutes, then thoroughly rinsing it with cool tap water while in the strainer, and finally spreading it out on paper towels with a light fan breeze to dry. The seller recommends you wash the herb before consuming, but I did not notice any dirt or other particles come off of it. But it is still best to wash it first just to be sure.I took 4 slices of this herb, broke them into small pieces, then put it in a small pan containing about 16 ounces (2 cups) of filtered water. After bringing the water to a boil, I covered the pan and let it simmer for about 30 minutes. Then poured the hot mixture into a cup through a small strainer to keep any chunks from getting into the "tea" for drinking. The "tea" has a bit of a "milky" look to it when done. I drank the 12 ounces of "tea" (about 4 ounces of the water boiled off during preparation). It has a slight bitter taste, but is also slightly sweet tasting. It's a little difficult to describe how it tastes, but had no problem drinking it. I plan to drink about the same amount every day for a month or so and then see if I notice any changes. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) says it is helpful in relieving pain, and that is why I purchased the herb. I've suffered for over 10 years with chronic neuropathic pain, and am looking for alternatives to taking prescription pain pills. I hope it helps, but it is too soon to tell now.

I have used this both ground in tea and in capsules. As with others, I find that it softens stools and should be moderated at the beginning of use, though I have no problem with two capsules a day. I haven't found the ground form Nu Herbs mentioned above, but with sufficient grinding it works.IT SHOULD BE NOTED:According to the "International Journal of Endocrinology & Metabolism", Paeonia lactiflora decreases testosterone and increases aromatase: "In a 1991 study in the American Journal of Chinese Medicine Takeuchi et al described the effects of paeoniflorin, a compound found in white peony that inhibited the production of testosterone and promoted the activity of aromatase, which converts testosterone into estrogen (7)."As such, it should NOT be used in estrogen-dependent cancers including breast/uterine/ovarian or endometrial cancers or while pregnant. Consult your physician. Excessive use of anti-androgens is inadvisable, particularly without the advice of or testing by a physician/endocrinologist.http://endometabol.com/?page=article&article_id=3644Paeonia Lactiflora (Bai Shao Yao) is NOT Chinese White Tea or "white peony tea".

I’ve used their product for years and they never disappointed me. This time again, they upgraded mine to organic one, probably due to shortage of inventory.Also like to mention the product was carefully packaged, and arrived on time and in perfect condition.

Flavor and smell of tea is pleasant. Chunks of peony root must be ground in food processor or blender. Turns out Nu Herbs offers a number of other forms - pre-ground and already loaded in capsules for convenience. Much less expensive than the Life Extension product.

Bought 2 bags and am not disappointed at all