Tree Peony (Paeonia suffruticosa) root bark, known as "Mudanpi" in Chinese medicine, has been traditionally used in East Asian herbal medicine to address various conditions, including abdominal pain. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Mudanpi is classified as an herb that "clears heat" and "cools the blood," and is often included in formulas intended to treat abdominal pain due to "blood stasis" or "heat in the blood." Historical records such as the Shennong Bencao Jing and later TCM materia medica texts describe its use for easing pain, particularly when associated with menstrual disorders or inflammation. Mudanpi is frequently combined with other herbs like peony root (Paeonia lactiflora) and Angelica sinensis in classic formulas for gynecological and abdominal complaints.

Modern pharmacological studies have identified some anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antispasmodic properties in constituents of Tree Peony root bark (notably paeonol and paeonoside), which might mechanistically explain its traditional use for pain, but robust clinical trials specifically targeting abdominal pain are lacking. Thus, while there is some preliminary scientific support for its biological activity, the primary justification for its use in abdominal pain remains traditional, supported by centuries of empirical use in TCM rather than high-quality clinical evidence.