Discover the Power of Plants
← Back to the Herbal Library
Botanical illustration of Magnolia Bark
MedicinalSourced entry

Magnolia Bark

Magnolia officinalis

Hou po, the bark of a magnolia tree used in Chinese medicine to ease bloating, stomach pain, diarrhoea and asthma, often paired with coptis root.

What is Magnolia Bark?

Plant family
Magnoliaceae, the magnolia family
Parts used
The dried bark of the stem, root or branches
Genus
Magnolia
Species
officinalis

Also called

Cortex Magnoliae, Cortes Magnoliae, Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex

Traditional names

Hou Po, Houpo

Traditionally used for

  • Bloating and stomach pain (traditional)
  • Diarrhoea (traditional)
  • Asthma (traditional)

Traditionally described as

  • Killed bacteria (in lab studies)

Health topics

Where Magnolia Bark appears in symptom search, and why. Being listed doesn't mean it's a proven treatment.

  • Asthma and Wheezing

    Traditionally used to ease asthma. Not tested in trials.

  • Bloating

    A traditional Chinese remedy for bloating and stomach pain, often with coptis. Not tested on its own in trials.

  • Diarrhea

    Used with coptis for "damp-heat" diarrhoea and dysentery; reduced diarrhoea in mice. Not tested in trials.

Traditions that use it

  • Traditional Chinese Medicine

    Called hou po; used to move qi, "dry dampness" and ease breathing, and with huang lian (coptis) for dysentery, bloating and stomach pain.

Safety

Toxicity testing

  • In rats given magnolia bark extract in their food for up to 90 days, there were no signs of harm at any dose tested.[1]

  • A magnolia bark extract (mostly the compound magnolol) didn't damage DNA in lab tests with bacteria or in mice.[2]

What does the research say?

Traditional use

These are traditional uses, not proven treatments.

  • Magnolia bark, hou po in Chinese, is described as bitter, pungent and warm. It's used to "move qi", "dry dampness", settle "rising qi" and ease asthma. It's often paired with huang lian (coptis root) in classic formulas for:

    • Dysentery and "damp-heat" diarrhoea
    • Bloating
    • Stomach pain
    [3]

  • Magnolia bark has been used in Chinese and Japanese medicine, and its extract is now used in dietary supplements and cosmetics.[1]

Laboratory & animal research

Lab and animal results show what might be worth studying in people. They don't show that the herb has these effects in humans.

  • In lab and animal studies, magnolia bark killed bacteria, slowed tumours, relieved pain, may help reduce inflammation and acted as an antioxidant. With coptis, it reduced diarrhoea and pain in mice.[3]

In short

No harm seen in a 90-day rat study.

Sources

  1. [1] Evaluation of short-term and subchronic toxicity of magnolia bark extract in rats · DOI: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2007.06.006Peer-reviewed study
  2. [2] Evaluation of the in vitro and in vivo genotoxicity of magnolia bark extract · DOI: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2007.06.005Peer-reviewed study
  3. [3] A Comprehensive Review of Coptidis Rhizoma and Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex Drug Pair and Their Chemical Composition, Pharmacological Effects and Pharmacokinetics Analysis · DOI: 10.2147/DDDT.S477381Peer-reviewed study

This information is educational and traditional in nature, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.