He Huan Pi (Mimosa Tree Bark)

Chinese Herb Actions

Chinese Herb Dosage

• What is the typical dosage of He Huan Pi?

  9–15 g in decoction (about 3–5 qian). Because its calming action is gentle, it is typically used over a sustained period rather than for quick effect.

  Source: owner’s Five Branches notes; standard materia medica ranges. Reference only — not a prescription.

Chinese Herb Contraindications & Cautions

• Are there cautions or contraindications for He Huan Pi?

  He Huan Pi is generally well tolerated, and classical sources note no specific contraindications. Because it invigorates the blood, caution in pregnancy is prudent. (Flagged for practitioner confirmation.)

  Source: owner’s Five Branches notes (“contraindications: none noted”); the blood-invigorating action is documented in the same notes.

Chinese Herb Toxicity & Overdose

• Low. No significant toxicity is reported for the bark at normal therapeutic doses in the reviewed literature. (Note the part distinction: He Huan Pi is the bark of the silk tree, Albizia julibrissin; He Huan Hua is the flower of the same tree.)

  Source: materia medica consensus; no toxicity signal in the reviewed research. Research context, not a therapeutic claim.

Herb-Drug Interactions

• No well-established clinical herb–drug interactions are documented. Given the serotonergic (5-HT1A) and GABAergic sedative activity seen in preclinical research (below), additive effects with antidepressants, anxiolytics, or sedatives are theoretically possible, so practitioner caution is reasonable. (Flagged for practitioner confirmation — absence of documented interactions is not proof of safety.)

Western / Biomedical Research

Chinese Herb Clinical Studies & Research

Provided as research context — a summary of published biomedical study, not a therapeutic or medical claim.

• Is there modern research on He Huan Pi (Albizia julibrissin)?

  Yes, but it is entirely preclinical. Bark extracts and their triterpenoid saponins (julibrosides), flavonoids and lignans show antidepressant and anxiolytic activity in animal and in-vitro models — via upregulation of 5-HT1A receptors, non-competitive inhibition of the serotonin transporter, GABA-A modulation, and dampening of an over-active HPA (stress) axis — which matches the traditional “calm the spirit, relieve constraint” use. No human clinical trials are reported.

  Sources: International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2025, PMID 40869099 (pharmacological-spectrum review of Albizia julibrissin); PMC 8954383 (two lignan glycosides non-competitively inhibit the serotonin transporter). Research context, not a therapeutic claim.

Chinese Herb Notes

• How is He Huan Pi different from He Huan Hua and the other calm-spirit herbs?

  He Huan Pi is the bark of the mimosa (silk) tree, best for insomnia and emotional distress from qi constraint; He Huan Hua is the flower of the same tree, with similar spirit-calming action but a stronger emphasis on promoting the free flow of Liver qi. Both are gentle and are usually used in longer courses.

  How it differs from its neighbors:

  • vs He Huan Hua — same plant (Albizia julibrissin): Pi is the bark, Hua the flower. The flower leans more toward moving Liver qi; the bark adds the blood-invigorating, swelling-reducing action.
  • vs Ye Jiao Teng — He Huan Pi is best for insomnia from qi constraint, whereas Ye Jiao Teng is best for insomnia from blood deficiency.
  • vs Yuan Zhi — Yuan Zhi suits palpitations and insomnia from pent-up emotions and also transforms phlegm and stops cough.

  Common combinations: with other Nourish-the-Heart / Calm-the-Spirit herbs (Suan Zao Ren, Bai Zi Ren, Ye Jiao Teng) for insomnia and restlessness; with blood-invigorating herbs for traumatic injury; with herbs that resolve toxicity for sores and abscesses.

  Source: owner’s Five Branches notes (differentiation set & combinations).