Magnolia Bark Extract

                                   

	

		

		
		

			

			

				

					

						

						
English Name:Magnolia Bark Extract

						
Latin Name:Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis; Magnolia officinalis Rehd.et Wils

						
Other Name:Ch'Uan Pu; Chinese Magnolia; Choon Pok; Magnolia; Hou Pu

						
 

						
[Specification]

						
  Magnolol、Honokiol 40%, 50%, 60%, 80%, 90%, 95%  HPLC

						


						
[Appearance]

						
  Off-white Powder

						
 

						
[Description]

						
  Magnolia has evergreen or deciduous, alternate smooth-margined leaves. The flowers, usually cuplike and fragrant, are located at the branch tips and have three sepals, 6 to 12 petals arranged in two to four series, and many spirally arranged stamens. The numerous simple ovaries in the centre later form a conelike fruit. The seeds, usually reddish, often hang pendulously by slender threads. Magnolia Bark is collected in the autumn, and the unopened flowers are harvested in the springtime and used in herbal medicines.

						
In 1703, Charles Plumier named the genus after Pierre Magnol, the most illustrious botanist in France at that time. For the most part, the genus is North American, where it was originally included in many herbal remedies of the Native Americans. There are also several species that are native to China and Japan (Magnolia officinalis, Magnolia hypoleuca, etc.), where it has been an important part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for over two thousand years. Several species were listed in the United States Pharmacopoeia from 1820 through 1894 as a tonic, stimulant and diaphoretic. It was even used as a substitute for quinine when treating malaria.

						
Some of the constituents in Magnolia Bark include volatile oils (eudesmol, bornyl-acetate, etc.), alkaloids, tannin, magnolol, honokiol, zinc, copper, calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, and manganese.

						
 

						
[Parts Used]

						
  Bark

						
 

						
[Functions]

						
Magnolia bark has been used to treat menstrual cramps, abdominal pain, abdominal bloating and gas, nausea, loss of appetite, gastroenteritis, vomiting, diarrhoea, and indigestion. The bark is also an ingredient in formulas used for treating coughs and asthma.

						
 

						
1. Antioxidant and anti-stress:

						
Researchers have determined that "honokiol" and "magnolol", two chemicals found in Magnolia Bark, are up to 1000 times more potent than Vitamin E in antioxidant activity. These two active compounds are thought to contribute to the primary anti-stress and cortisol-balancing effects of the plant. Numerous animal studies have demonstrated honokiol to act as an anti-stress agent at lower doses.

						
 

						
2. Weight loss:

						
Magnolia Bark is getting much press as a "cortisol", the stress hormone-lowering supplement. Cortisol has also been associated with weight gain (particularly fat in the abdominal area), sugar control problems, memory problems, and a host of other stress induced disorders.

						
 

						
3. Strong in reducing anxiety:

						
In studies, honokiol was compared with diazepam (Valium), a well known pharmaceutical anxiolytic. Honokiol was found to be five times stronger than diazepam in reducing anxiety without the side effects of diazepam. While Diazepam does reduce anxiety, it also induces muscle relaxation, an effect not shared by honokiol. It would seem that honokiol is less likely than diazepam to induce physical dependence, central nervous system depression, motor nerve disruption, or amnesia at doses eliciting the anxiolytic effect. Because honokiol reduces anxiety without disruption of motor activity, it is postulated that the mechanism of the anxiolytic effect of honokiol is at least partially different from that of diazepam.

						
 

						
4. Alzheimers Disease

						
Magnolia has several powerful effects on acetylcholine levels in the brain, offering potential benefits for victims of Alzheimer's Disease. Alzeimer's Disease is characterised by insufficient levels of acetylcholine, accompanied by the buildup of amyloid plaque in the brain, disrupting normal brain functioning. Two biphenolic compounds found in Magnolia, Honokiol and magnolol, increase choline acetyltransferase activity, inhibit acetylcholinesterase, promote potassium-induced acetylcholine release and exhibit neurotrophic function in in vitro studies. Choline acetyltransferase is an enzyme involved in the cellular synthesis of acetylcholine, an increase of which can up-regulate the production of acetylcholine necessary for proper brain function. Acetylcholinesterase is an enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine, the inhibition of which preserves available acetylcholine. Honokiol and Magnolol also exhibited neurotropic effects in vitro, which could translate into enhanced brain cell growth and reduced brain cell death in vivo.

						
 

						
5. Asthma:

						
Magnolol was found in studies to support the body's natural production of adrenal steroids (corticosteroids) which suppress inflammation. This anti-inflammatory effect is thought responsible for alleviating the allergic inflammatory response in cases of asthma. Increases in corticosteroids may be a concern for those wishing to use Magnolia as a weight loss product, but in a patented product combining the herb with Phellodendron this effect was reversed, resulting in corticosteroid reduction, and reduced cortisol-induced food cravings.

						
 

						
6. Gastric andabdominal distension of various causes

						
such as retention of dampness, stagnation of indigested food andstagnation of qi. For retention of dampness in the middle-jiao marked by abdominaldistension, nausea and vomiting, it can be dispensed with atr-actylodes and tanger-ine peel, as in Peptic Powder (Pingwei San); for stagnation of food complicated bystagnation of qimanifested as abdo-minal distension andconstipation, it can be given with rhubarb and bitter (orange,as in Decoction of Three Herbs Including Magnolia (Houpo Sanwu Tang).

						
 

						
7. Cough and as-thma due to accumula-tion of phlegm in the lung

						
It can be used with ephedra, pinelliatuber and bitter apri-cot kernel, as in Decoction of Magnolia and Ephedra (Houpo Mahuang Tang).

						
 

						
8. Traditional Applications:

						
1) To treat abdominal disorders due to the obstruction of the spleen and stomach by dampness and the stagnation of qi: This herb is often used together with Chinese atractylodes rhizome (Rhizoma Atractylodis), dried tangerine peel, etc., e.g., Ping Wei San.

						
2) To treat gastrointestinal food stagnancy, abdominal distention and constipation:

						
a) Stagnancy and distention: This herb is often used together with immature citron or trifolia orange (Fructus Aurantii Immaturus) and rhubarb (Radix et Rhizoma Rhei), i.e., Houpu Sanwu Tang.

						
b) Constipation due to heat accumulation: It is used in combination with rhubarb (Radix et Rhizoma Rhei), mirabilite and immature citron or trifolia orange (Fructus Aurantii Immaturus), i.e., Da Chengqi Tang, in order to achieve the effects of eliminating the accumulation of heat by drastic purgation and the removal of food stagnancy.

						
3) To treat coughing and dyspnea (difficult or labored respiration) due to the retention of phlegm: It can be used together with cassia twig, apricot kernels, etc., e.g., Guizhi Jia Houpu Xingzi Tang.

						
  4) To treat coughing and dyspnea with tightness in the chest due to obstruction of phlegm and dampness in the interior: It is often used together with purple perilla seed, tangerine peel, etc., e.g., Suzi Jiangqi Tang.

						
 

						
[Contraindications]

						
Pregnant and nursing women should not use Magnolia Bark. Overuse (many times the recommended dosage) may cause, sleepiness, vertigo and dizziness. There may be interactions with sleep and anxiety medication.  Asian Medicine believes Magnolia Bark to be incompatible with Astragalus.

						
  It should be cautiously used in cases of hypofunction of the spleen and stomach.