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Dietary supplement

Bai Shao Yao Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Hawaii Pharm

Liquid Category: Botanical
Most serious interaction: Moderate
The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

Bai Shao Yao is a dietary supplement by Hawaii Pharm with 1 active ingredient. Its ingredients are commonly taken for menstrual cramps and irregular periods, muscle cramps and spasms, anxiety and stress.Based on those ingredients, 811 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are Bai Shao Yao extract. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Bai Shao Yao by Hawaii Pharm

Our pharmacy team’s full take, with four database checks built into the cards below — a summary of what is known, not a grade of the product itself.

From our pharmacy team — supplement deep dive

What’s inside

Full disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Full

Every active ingredient lists its own amount on the label.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 1 of its 1 active ingredient.
  • No proprietary blends here — you can verify the dose of every single component.

This product contains one active ingredient: peony extract (Bai Shao Yao). The liquid also includes vegetable palm glycerin and alcohol as inactive ingredients to deliver and preserve the extract.

Does it work?

Couldn't assess
Evidence for Intended Use · database check
By FDA rules, dietary supplements can’t claim to treat, cure, or prevent disease — so labels speak in careful marketing language. We discern each product’s intended use from its name, label claims, and label statements, then grade the clinical evidence for that use. How these ratings are computed
Not assessable

This is a single-ingredient Peony product and its label doesn't state a use — see Peony's own graded uses on its monograph.

Why this rating?
  • We looked at the product name, claims, and label statements and couldn't find a stated purpose to grade.

The evidence we hold doesn't establish whether peony is effective for any of the uses it's traditionally associated with — aging skin, anal fissures, atherosclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, cirrhosis, or migraine headaches all have insufficient reliable evidence to rate. If you're considering this product for a specific health concern, that's a conversation to have with your pharmacist or doctor.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Peony

How safe is it?

Well-documented data
Safety Information · database check
Well characterized

Adverse-effect, pregnancy, and general safety data are on file for most of these ingredients.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 1 of the 1 matched ingredient.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 1 of 1.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 1 of 1.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Peony is generally well tolerated for short-term use, though high-quality safety data are limited. When taken by mouth, some people report gastrointestinal side effects like abdominal bloating, loss of appetite, diarrhea, or nausea — diarrhea showed up in about 5% of patients in one study using a higher dose over several months.

One case report documented bleeding complications (easy gum bleeding, nosebleeds, and bruising) in a person on warfarin who switched peony-containing herbal products, though that product contained several herbs and the situation was complex. The safety data advise against using peony during pregnancy.

There isn't enough information to know whether it's safe while breastfeeding, so talk with your doctor or pharmacist for personalized advice if you're nursing or planning to become pregnant.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Peony

Meds to double-check

Moderate interaction found
Known Interaction Concern · database check
Moderate identified

The most serious documented interaction for these ingredients is Moderate. Check your medications for a personalized result.

Why this rating?
  • 1 of the 1 matched ingredient can interact with medications — Peony.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: anticoagulant / antiplatelet drugs.
  • For scale: 812 individual medications appear in the full list. A big number alone doesn't make a product dangerous — what matters is whether YOUR medication is on it, so run yours through the interaction checker on this page.

Before you start, check whether you take blood thinners or antiplatelet drugs (like warfarin or aspirin), birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy, drugs metabolized by CYP1A2 or CYP3A4 enzymes (a very broad list including many common medications), clozapine, or phenytoin. These are the medication types with documented interactions.

Use the interaction checker on this page with your exact medication names and dosages.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with no assessable stated purpose. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

Bai Shao Yao is a single-ingredient peony extract with documented interactions affecting a large number of medications — especially blood thinners, birth control, hormone therapy, and certain psychiatric and seizure drugs. The evidence for what it actually treats is not established in our data.

If you take any prescription or over-the-counter medications, check them against this product before starting. Pregnant or breastfeeding?

Talk to your pharmacist first.

Educational only — not medical advice; always confirm with your pharmacist. Our editorial policy · How we use AI

Assessment coverage: 1 of 1 active ingredient matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Nov 21, 2020.

This Scorecard evaluates available label information, ingredient evidence, and known medication-safety considerations. It does not independently verify product identity, purity, potency, contamination, or manufacturing quality. How these ratings are computed

At a glance

General information

Key facts about Bai Shao Yao, straight from the product label.

Brand Hawaii Pharm
Barcode (UPC) 617503478849
Net contents 4 Fluid Ounce(s); 120 mL
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Nov 21, 2020
DSLD ID 237236
Product type Botanical
Supplement form Liquid
Dietary claims / uses All Other, Structure/Function
Intended target group(s) Adult (18 - 50 Years), Gluten Free
From the label
Everything in this section is reproduced from the manufacturer’s own product label — it’s the label speaking, not HelloPharmacist. We show it so you can see exactly what the maker states; we don’t verify or endorse those statements.

Supplement Facts

The label details for Bai Shao Yao by Hawaii Pharm, sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

Daily Value (DV) Target Group(s):
Adults and children 4 or more years of age
Minimum serving Sizes:
0.7 mL
Maximum serving Sizes:
1 mL
Servings per container
120
UPC/BARCODE
617503478849
IngredientAmount% DV
Bai Shao Yao extract970 mg--

Other ingredients: Vegetable Palm Glycerin, Alcohol

Tap any ingredient to jump to its full detail below.

Label statements
These statements are the manufacturer’s wording, reproduced from the product label — the label is saying it, not HelloPharmacist. We don’t verify or endorse them.
General Statements

Hawaii Pharm Herbal Extract Highest quality since 2008

Made with Aloha!

Formulation

Contains no GMO, gluten, artificial colors, heavy metals, preservatives, pesticides, fertilizers.

Super concentrated liquid herbal extract. Dry herb/menstruum ratio: 1:3.

Manufactured in an FDA registered facility.

Non GMO Gluten free

Made in USA, Hawaii

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Directions for use: Shake well before using. Take about 20-30 drops (0.7-1 ml, one full squeeze of the dropper bulb) to 2-4 oz of juice or water up to 4 times per day.

Precautions

Warning: Keep out of the reach of children.

We recommend to seek expert medical advice before taking. May have contraindications.

Do not use if you are allergic to any ingredients.

Consult your physician before giving to children under 18, during pregnancy, if nursing or taking any medications.

Consult your physician before giving to children under 18, during pregnancy, if nursing or taking any medications.

Do not use if seal is broken or missing.

Storage

Store in a cool dry place.

Formula

(Paeonia lactiflora)

FDA Statement of Identity

Herbal Dietary Supplement

FDA Disclaimer Statement

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Seals/Symbols

FDA Registered Facility Made in United States of America USA

See for yourself

Bai Shao Yao by Hawaii Pharm label

The label scan from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Tap to enlarge.

What’s inside

The Ingredients in Bai Shao Yao by Hawaii Pharm

This is the 1 active ingredient this product is made of. Select it to open its full monograph.

Serving size0.7 mL Dosage formLiquid Servings per container120 Amounts shown are per serving.

Bai Shao Yao extract

Interacts with
811 drugs
970 mg per serving

Peony root is a traditional Chinese medicine herb often used for menstrual problems, cramps, and inflammation, frequently as part of combination formu...

Bai Shao Yao extract monograph & interactions

Other (inactive) ingredients: Vegetable Palm Glycerin, Alcohol. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

Bai Shao Yao by Hawaii Pharm Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Bai Shao Yao?

Ask about interactions with your drugs in plain English — “Can I take it with lisinopril?” — and we find you the answer in seconds, ingredient by ingredient.

Go to the checker
811Drugs
811 Moderate

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Bai Shao Yao with known interactions, here are the types of medications it can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

Bai Shao Yao extract7 drug types · 811 drugs

Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet Drugs

Theoretically, combining peony with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs might increase the risk of bleeding.
In vitro research suggests that peony might have antiplatelet, anticoagulant, and antithrombotic effects.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Clozapine (Clozaril)

Theoretically, peony might increase the levels and clinical effects of clozapine.
In vitro research shows that peony suppresses the metabolism of clozapine via weak-to-moderate inhibitory effects on cytochromes P450 (CYP) 1A2 and CYP3A4. This effect has not been reported in humans.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Contraceptive Drugs

Theoretically, peony might interfere with contraceptive drugs due to competition for estrogen receptors.
In vitro and animal research shows that peony extract has estrogenic activity. Concomitant use might also increase the risk for estrogen-related adverse effects.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Cytochrome P450 1A2 (Cyp1A2) Substrates

Theoretically, use of peony may increase the levels and clinical effects of drugs metabolized by CYP1A2.
In vitro research shows that peony suppresses the metabolism of clozapine via weak-to-moderate inhibitory effects on CYP1A2 and CYP3A4. This effect has not been reported in humans.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Cytochrome P450 3A4 (Cyp3A4) Substrates

Theoretically, use of peony may increase the levels and clinical effects of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.
In vitro research shows that peony suppresses the metabolism of clozapine via weak-to-moderate inhibitory effects on CYP1A2 and CYP3A4. This effect has not been reported in humans.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Estrogens

Theoretically, concomitant use of large amounts of peony might interfere with hormone replacement therapy and/or increase the risk for estrogen-related adverse effects.
In vitro and animal research shows that peony extract has estrogenic activity. Theoretically, peony might compete for estrogen receptors and/or cause additive estrogenic effects.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Phenytoin (Dilantin)

Theoretically, peony might reduce the levels and clinical effects of phenytoin.
Animal research shows that taking peony root reduces levels of phenytoin. Some researchers suggest that peony root might affect cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C9, which metabolizes phenytoin. However, preliminary research in humans shows that peony root does not alter levels of losartan (Cozaar), which is also metabolized by CYP2C9.

Likelihood Probable Evidence D
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Bai Shao Yao, from the product label.

Hawaii Pharm

See all Hawaii Pharm products
Name
Hawaii Pharm LLC
City
Honolulu
State
HI
ZipCode
96815
Web Address
www.hawaiipharm.com
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Bai Shao Yao by Hawaii Pharm: Common Questions

Does Bai Shao Yao by Hawaii Pharm interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Bai Shao Yao has a known interaction with 811 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Bai Shao Yao contains a single active ingredient, and that one ingredient can interact with many different medications on its own. We check it against each medication and show the mechanism responsible.
Where does this information come from?
The product label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD); the interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database and reviewed by HelloPharmacist pharmacists.
What is Bai Shao Yao?
Bai Shao Yao is a liquid extract of peony root, a plant used in traditional Chinese medicine. This product by Hawaii Pharm is a concentrated form delivered in a liquid base of vegetable glycerin and alcohol.
Can I take this if I'm on birth control or hormone therapy?
Peony has estrogenic activity in lab studies, so it might interfere with birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy or add to estrogenic effects. Don't start this product without checking with your pharmacist or doctor first — your birth control's effectiveness could be affected.
Can I take this if I'm on a blood thinner like warfarin?
No — peony has anticoagulant and antiplatelet properties in lab research, and combining it with blood thinners theoretically increases bleeding risk. One case report documented bleeding complications in a person on warfarin who used a peony-containing product. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using this product if you're on any blood thinner or antiplatelet drug.
Is it safe during pregnancy or breastfeeding?
The safety data advise against using peony during pregnancy. There isn't enough information to say whether it's safe while breastfeeding. If you're pregnant, planning pregnancy, or nursing, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before starting.
What side effects does peony have?
When taken by mouth, peony is generally well tolerated, but some people report gastrointestinal discomfort — bloating, loss of appetite, diarrhea, or nausea. In one study, about 5% of patients taking a higher dose over months reported diarrhea. Applied to skin, it can occasionally cause dermatitis.
Does this actually work for what it claims?
We don't hold evidence establishing that peony is effective for the conditions it's traditionally used for — aging skin, anal fissures, atherosclerosis, chronic fatigue, cirrhosis, or migraines all have insufficient reliable evidence. Ask your pharmacist or doctor whether this product is right for your specific situation.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Not sure if Bai Shao Yao is safe with your meds?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

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Label information is sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and reflects the product version on file; always read your actual product label. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before combining supplements and medications.

Bai Shao Yao label
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Bai Shao Yao's label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database; the ingredient interaction data is from the Natural Medicines database, reviewed by our pharmacists.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

The 15 references behind this product’s interaction data

Every citation that drives the interaction findings for this product’s ingredients, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Open an ingredient to browse its citations — links open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Peony 15 references
  1. Chen LC, Chou MH, Lin MF, Yang LL. Effects of Paeoniae Radix, a traditional Chinese medicine, on the pharmacokinetics of phenytoin. J Clin Pharm Ther 2001;26:271-8. PubMed
  2. Guo TL, Zhou XW. [Clinical observations on the treatment of the gestational hypertension syndrome with Angelica and Paeonia powder]. Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi 1986;6:714-6, 707.
  3. Xie HJ, Yasar U, Sandberg M, Rane A. Paeoniae Radix, a traditional Chinese medicine, and CYP2C9 activity. J Clin Pharm Ther 2002;27:229-30. . PubMed
  4. Harada M, Suzuki M, Ozaki Y. Effect of Japanese Angelica root and peony root on uterine contraction in the rabbit in situ. J Pharmacobiodyn 1984;7:304-11. PubMed
  5. Anon. Monograph. Peony (Paeonia spp). Alt Med Rev 2001;6:495-9.
  6. Bruynzeel DP. Contact Dermatitis Due to Paeonia (Peony). Contact Dermatitis 1989; 20:152-3..
  7. Bian, X., Xu, Y., Zhu, L., Gao, P., Liu, X., Liu, S., Qian, M., Gai, M., Yang, J., and Wu, Y. Prevention of maternal-fetal blood group incompatibility with traditional Chinese herbal medicine. Chin Med J (Engl.) 1998;111(7):585-587.
  8. Wong, A. L. and Chan, T. Y. Interaction between warfarin and the herbal product quilinggao. Ann Pharmacother 2003;37(6):836-838.
  9. Cai Y, Yuan Q, Xu K, et al. Assessment of the therapeutic effect of total glycosides of peony for juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2016;2016:8292486.
  10. Koo YK, Kim JM, Koo JY, et al. Platelet anti-aggregatory and blood anti-coagulant effects of compounds isolated from Paeonia lactiflora and Paeonia suffruticosa. Pharmazie 2010;65(8):624-8.
  11. Wang W, Tian DD, Zheng B, et al. Peony-glycyrrhiza decoction, an herbal preparation, inhibits clozapine metabolism via cytochrome P450s, but not flavin-containing monooxygenase in in vitro models. Drug Metab Dispos 2015;43(7):1147-53. PubMed
  12. Zhou Y, Jin L, Kong F, et al. Clinical and immunological consequences of total glucosides of paeony treatment in Sjögren's syndrome: A randomized controlled pilot trial. Int Immunopharmacol. 2016 Oct;39:314-319. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2016.08.006. PubMed
  13. Zhu Q, Qi X, Wu Y, Wang K. Clinical study of total glucosides of paeony for the treatment of diabetic kidney disease in patients with diabetes mellitus. Int Urol Nephrol. 2016 Nov;48(11):1873-1880. doi: 10.1007/s11255-016-1345-5. PubMed
  14. Xu Y, Li X, Chen T, et al. Radix Paeoniae Alba increases serum estrogen level and up-regulates estrogen receptor expression in uterus and vagina of immature/ovariectomized mice. Phytother Res. 2019;33(1):117-29. [RETRACTED].
  15. Liu X, Li X, Li X, et al. The efficacy and safety of total glucosides of peony in the treatment of primary Sjögren's syndrome: a multi-center, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Clin Rheumatol. 2019;38(3):657-64. Erratum i

See these in context on the Peony monograph →

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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