Magnolia

What Is Magnolia?

Magnolia is one of the oldest flowering plants in existence, dating back as far as 95 million years ago. The first angiosperm is thought to have originated 130 million years ago. This is long before bees first appeared. To no surprise then, magnolia have evolved to be pollinated by beetles instead, which have been around for much longer.

Magnolia is a common herb in traditional Chinese medicine for treating Qi stagnation and removing obstructions.

It remains popular for reducing sinus infection and congestion, sinus headaches, asthma, coughs, and catarrh as well as anxiety and heightened cortisol levels.

Indications

• Abdominal pain
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Amoebic dysentery
• Anxiety
• Asthma
• Bloating
• Catarrh
• Coughs
• Diarrhea
• Gas
• Gastroenteritis
• Menstrual cramps
• Nausea/vomiting
• Poor appetite
• Poor digestion
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Rhinitis
• Sinus infection
• Stress
• Typhoid
• Ulcers

Contraindications

Avoid use during convalescence.

How Is Magnolia Used?

Magnolia is used for its anxiolytic and digestive effects. It’s often combined with Phellodendron for treating both acute and chronic stress.

Magnolia is also commonly used for upper respiratory tract infection, sinus congestion, and catarrh.

Botanical Information

Magnolia officinalis is a medium sized tree, ranging from 5 to 15 m in height. It’s deciduous, with purple brown bark.

Magnolia is a member of the Magnoliaceae family of plants. There are 2 subfamilies in this family, including Magnollioideae and Liriodendroideae. The latter of which only includes Liriodendron (Tulip trees). In The Magnoliaceae family there are approximately 219 species, distributed into 17 genera. The vast majority are included in the Magnolia genus, which has about 210 different species.

One interesting note is that it appears magnolia appeared before bees did. The flowers are instead evolved to be pollinated by beetles, due to the extremely tough carpels on the flower. There have also been fossils discovered with plants contained in the Magnoliaceae family as far back as 95 million years ago, making Magnolia one of the oldest remaining angiosperms.

Phytochemistry

Magnolia bark’s activity is defined by two closely related biphenol neolignans, magnolol and its isomer honokiol. These are the markers used to standardise commercial extracts; in the raw bark magnolol is typically the more abundant, reported at roughly 2–11%, with honokiol around 1–5% (sources vary, some giving honokiol the higher figure). Together they account for the bark’s GABA-potentiating anxiolytic and sedative action as well as much of its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity ^{1Reference 1Sarrica et al. · 2018Safety and toxicology of magnolol and honokiol}.

The bark also yields an essential oil rich in sesquiterpenes, the most notable being beta-eudesmol (about 17% of the oil), which has its own reported effects on the nervous system. A minor fraction of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids is present too, chief among them magnocurarine at roughly 0.15–0.23% of the bark ^{2Reference 2Studies on the alkaloids of the bark of et al. · 2013Molecules, 18(7), 7739–7750. (Magnocurarine ~0.15–0.23% of bark; bark essential oil rich in β-eudesmol, ~17%.)}.

Constituent Summary

Magnolol and honokiol figures are share of the dry bark (extracts are standardised far higher); β-eudesmol is share of the essential oil; magnocurarine is share of the dry bark. Marker levels vary with species, origin and extraction.

Clinical Applications

Magnolia increases the activity of GABA receptors, as well as the muscarinic receptors. This is why Magnolia is useful for both its sedative effect, as well as some mild stimulating effects. While most anxiolytic herbs have a particular effect on the parasympathetic nervous system (through GABAergic effects), Magnolia also increases the activity of the sympathetic nervous system through the muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in a similar way to GABA.

Magnolia is especially useful for eliminating nasal congestion, sinus infections, coughs, and catarrh. It’s used to improve indigestion and dysentery, though it’s not commonly used for bacterial or fungal infections alone.

Magnolia is also used for reducing symptoms of stress and anxiety. It can reduce cortisol levels in stressed individuals, especially in combination with Phellodendron. Its primary actions for this involves GABAergic activities, and have been shown to lower salivary cortisol levels in stressed individuals.

Magnolia should be avoided in those who are chronically fatigued, or who are suffering from convalescence. Traditional Chinese medicine suggests that magnolia should be avoided with any condition involving yin deficiency.

References

1. Sarrica, A., et al. (2018). Safety and toxicology of magnolol and honokiol. Planta Medica, 84(16), 1151–1164. (Raw bark honokiol ~1–5% and magnolol ~2–10%; the two neolignans are the principal bioactive markers.)
2. Studies on the alkaloids of the bark of Magnolia officinalis: isolation and on-line analysis by HPLC-ESI-MSⁿ. (2013). Molecules, 18(7), 7739–7750. (Magnocurarine ~0.15–0.23% of bark; bark essential oil rich in β-eudesmol, ~17%.)