Peony. Peonia officinalis.

Synonym—Piney.

PREPARATIONS—

The tincture. Dose, from one to thirty minims.

Therapy—The agent is an antispasmodic. Through a mild but persistent tonic influence, it is soothing to the nervous system of debilitated patient and of the aged. It is curative wherever there is irregular muscular action. It is useful in chorea, either alone or combined with other positively indicated remedies. It has been given with good results in convulsions of childhood, and other convulsive phenomena, and its persistent use in epilepsy has resulted satisfactorily in some cases. It is not a powerful remedy, but it is one that has a steady and persistent influence, and will therefore be found of use as auxiliary to the action of positive but temporary remedies. It has been given in whooping cough, and will probably be found valuable in the treatment of other spasmodic coughs.

The juice has been expressed from the recent root, and has been administered in doses of from one to two drams. The powdered root in dram doses has been given. Thirty grains of the powdered seeds have been administered to overcome night terrors and nightmare in aged people and people afflicted with these forms of chronic disease, accompanied with dropsy. It relieves all forms of nervous irritation, and is beneficial in reflex irritability.

The American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy, 1919, was written by Finley Ellingwood, M.D.
It was scanned by Michael Moore for the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine.