Magnolia officinalis

Magnolia officinalis, known in Chinese as “Hou Po,” has been a staple of East Asian folk medicine for centuries. In Traditional Chinese Medicine the bark is boiled as a decoction to treat stomach pain, nausea, and abdominal distension; the same bark is also macerated in alcohol to produce a tincture that is used for chronic cough and as a mild sedative (Chinese Pharmacopoeia, 2020). Vietnamese healers prepare a tea from the dried bark to relieve menstrual cramps and to calm the nervous system, a practice documented in Nguyen et al., 2018. In Korean folk medicine, a poultice of powdered bark applied to the lower abdomen is used to alleviate dysmenorrhea and to reduce inflammation, as reported by Kim et al., 2019. These preparations all involve infusions, decoctions, tinctures, or poultices of the bark, the principal medicinal part of the plant.

A simple, safe decoction can be made at home: combine 10 g of dried Magnolia officinalis bark with 200 ml of boiling water. Simmer gently for 30 minutes, then strain the liquid. Drink 100 ml of the decoction twice daily, preferably after meals. If you are pregnant, nursing, or have liver disease, consult a healthcare professional before use, as the bark contains compounds that may affect liver function. The decoction can also be diluted with a small amount of honey or ginger to improve taste and reduce mild gastrointestinal irritation.

The therapeutic effects of Magnolia officinalis are largely attributed to its lignan constituents, magnolol and honokiol, which have been isolated from the bark and shown to possess anti‑inflammatory, anxiolytic, and antimicrobial properties. Other flavonoids and terpenoids present in the bark also contribute to its soothing action on the digestive tract and nervous system. These well‑established phytochemicals provide a biochemical basis for the plant’s long‑standing use in treating stomach upset, anxiety, and menstrual discomfort.

Today, Magnolia officinalis remains available as a commercial herbal supplement in capsule, tincture, and tea form, and ongoing research is exploring its potential as a natural anxiolytic and anti‑inflammatory agent. Its continued use in traditional practice and growing scientific interest underscore its relevance as a bridge between ancient wisdom and modern therapeutics.

Common products:
- Wood: used for high‑quality furniture, interior joinery, paneling, veneer and turning.
- Tannin extract: bark is a source of hydrolysable tannins employed in leather tanning and as a natural brown dye for protein fibers.
- Reference genome: a chromosome‑level assembly of Magnolia officinalis (GenBank accession e.g., GCF_018850145.1) is publicly available and used in phylogenetic and comparative genomic studies.

Industrial and craft applications:
- The timber is processed into furniture components, cabinetry and interior fittings; its fine grain and light color make it suitable for veneer and ornamental turnery.
- Bark‑derived tannin extracts are incorporated into leather‑tanning processes to achieve natural brown coloration and to improve leather durability.

Wood and fiber:
- Wood density is approximately 0.65–0.70 g cm⁻³ with moderate hardness and a straight, fine grain; the wood is valued for interior applications where stability and aesthetics are required.

Colorants and tanning:
- The bark contains about 15–20 % (dry weight) hydrolysable tannins (primarily gallotannins), which provide a natural brown dye for wool, silk and other protein fibers and serve as a tanning agent for hides.

Properties relevant to use:
- Tannin class: hydrolysable gallotannins confer good leather‑tanning performance and natural dye uptake.
- Wood density and grain structure enable clean machining and finishing for furniture and joinery.
- Genome assembly (e.g., GCF_018850145.1) facilitates phylogenetic reconstruction of early angiosperms and the identification of genes related to wood formation and secondary metabolism.

Sustainability and sourcing:
- Magnolia officinalis is cultivated in plantation forestry in Sichuan and Yunnan provinces; the species is not listed under CITES and is managed under Chinese forestry regulations that promote sustainable harvesting and regeneration.

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