''Magnolia officinalis'' (commonly called houpu magnolia or magnolia bark) is a species of ''

Magnolia ''Magnolia'' is a large genus of about 210 to 340The number of species in the genus ''Magnolia'' depends on the taxonomic view that one takes up. Recent molecular and morphological research shows that former genera ''Talauma'', ''Dugandiodendr ...

'' native to the mountains and valleys of

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

at altitudes of 300–1500 m. It is a

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and botany, the term deciduous () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed Leaf, leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, aft ...

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, e.g., including only woody plants with secondary growth, only ...

up to 20 m tall with broad, fragrant white

flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

s and two varieties distinguished by

leaf A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the plant stem, stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leav ...

shape, differing slightly from '' Magnolia obovata'' primarily in

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants (angiosperms) that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which angiosperms disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particular have long propaga ...

base shape. Its aromatic bark, traditionally used in Chinese medicine as “hou po,” is now primarily sourced from cultivated plants. Magnolol and honokiol, phenolic compounds from ''Magnolia officinalis'', may improve fatty liver and obesity by activating

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor In the field of molecular biology, the peroxisome proliferator–activated receptors (PPARs) are a group of nuclear receptor proteins that function as transcription factors regulating gene expression. PPARs play essential roles in regulating cel ...

alpha/gamma to boost fat metabolism and energy use, and also enhance GABA_A receptor activity with potential

anxiolytic An anxiolytic (; also antipanic or anti-anxiety agent) is a medication or other intervention that reduces anxiety. This effect is in contrast to anxiogenic agents which increase anxiety. Anxiolytic medications are used for the treatment of anxie ...

and

sedative A sedative or tranquilliser is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or Psychomotor agitation, excitement. They are central nervous system (CNS) Depressant, depressants and interact with brain activity, causing its decelera ...

effects but possible

side effect In medicine, a side effect is an effect of the use of a medicinal drug or other treatment, usually adverse but sometimes beneficial, that is unintended. Herbal and traditional medicines also have side effects. A drug or procedure usually use ...

Identification

It is a

growing to 20 m in height. The

bark Bark may refer to: Common meanings * Bark (botany), an outer layer of a woody plant such as a tree or stick * Bark (sound), a vocalization of some animals (which is commonly the dog) Arts and entertainment * ''Bark'' (Jefferson Airplane album), ...

is thick and brown, but does not fissure. The

leaves A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, ...

are broad, ovate, 20–40 cm long, and 11–20 cm broad. The

s are fragrant and 10–15 cm wide, with 9–12 (rarely to 17) white

tepal A tepal is one of the outer parts of a flower (collectively the perianth). The term is used when these parts cannot easily be classified as either sepals or petals. This may be because the parts of the perianth are undifferentiated (i.e. of very ...

s, and appear from May to June. The two varieties are: *''Magnolia officinalis'' var. ''officinalis'' has leaves with an acute apex. *''Magnolia officinalis'' var. ''biloba'' has leaves with a notch at the apex. This variety does not appear in the wild, and is only known in cultivation. It is possibly not a true variety at all, but actually a

cultigen A cultigen (), or cultivated plant, is a plant that has been deliberately altered or selected by humans, by means of genetic modification, graft-chimaeras, plant breeding, or wild or cultivated plant selection. These plants have commercial val ...

instead, though this has yet to be determined. ''M. officinalis'' differs very little from '' Magnolia obovata''; the only difference consistently observed between the two is that the fruit aggregate of ''M. officinalis'' has a rounded base, while that of ''M. obovata'' has an acute base. Further research may or may not eventually determine if ''M. officinalis'' should be treated as a

subspecies In Taxonomy (biology), biological classification, subspecies (: subspecies) is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (Morphology (biology), morpholog ...

of ''M. obovata''.

Uses

The highly aromatic bark is stripped from the stems, branches, and roots and used in

traditional Chinese medicine Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an alternative medicine, alternative medical practice drawn from traditional medicine in China. A large share of its claims are pseudoscientific, with the majority of treatments having no robust evidence ...

, where it is known as ''hou po'' (厚朴; thus the common name). The traditional use indications are to eliminate damp and phlegm, and relieve distension. Today, the bulk of bark used for commercial and domestic use is supplied by plants in cultivation.

Pharmaceutical potential

Phenolic extracts from ''Magnolia officinalis'', specifically magnolol and honokiol, alleviate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and obesity in high-fat diet mice by dual activation of

peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor In the field of molecular biology, the peroxisome proliferator–activated receptors (PPARs) are a group of nuclear receptor proteins that function as transcription factors regulating gene expression. PPARs play essential roles in regulating cel ...

alpha (PPARα) and gamma (PPARγ) pathways, promoting fatty acid oxidation, adipose tissue browning, and increased energy expenditure. Magnolol and honokiol, active compounds from

bark used in traditional medicine, positively modulate various GABA_A receptor subtypes—especially δ-containing ones—enhancing GABAergic neurotransmission and suggesting their potential as anxiolytic, sedative, and anticonvulsant supplements, though with notable risks of side effects and drug interactions.

Gallery

File:Magnolia officinalis bud.jpg, Bud

References

External links

''Magnolia officinalis'' images in the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University Plant Image Database

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1042288

officinalis ''Officinalis'', ''officinale'', or occasionally ''officinarum'' is a Medieval Latin epithet denoting organisms—mainly plants—with uses in medicine, herbalism, manufacturing, and cookery. It commonly occurs as a specific epithet, the second t ...

Conservation dependent plants Medicinal plants