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Magnolia Officinalis

The magnolia is a plant whose bark and flower buds are used to make medicine. Magnolias originate from N-America and East Asia and have found their way into almost every park, some hybrids can also be found in many gardens and impress with their striking flowers. The species from the two regions of origin differ significantly, the East Asian species are deciduous and flower in spring, while the North American species are evergreen and flower in summer. Magnolia officinalis can grow up to 22 m high. The flowers are 15-20 cm in size and whitish in color. In China, a medicinal extract has long been obtained from the bark, which is why this species has become rare in the wild.

Magnolia products are used for digestive problems, constipation, inflammation, anxiety, stress, depression, fever, headaches, strokes and asthma, as well as to support weight loss. Magnolia buds are used for nasal congestion, runny nose, colds, sinus pain, hay fever, headaches and dark spots on the face. Some people apply magnolia buds directly to the gums for toothache. In skin care products, magnolia bud extracts are used as a skin brightener and to minimize skin irritation caused by other ingredients.

In traditional Chinese and Japanese (Kampo) medicine, magnolia bark is an ingredient of Hange-Koboku-To, which consists of 5 plant extracts, and Saiboku-To, which consists of 10 plant extracts. These extracts are used to reduce anxiety and nervous tension and improve sleep. Some scientists believe that honokiol, a chemical contained in magnolia bark, is responsible for the effects of these drugs.

How do magnolia products work?

Magnolia appears to have anxiety-reducing activity in animals. It may also increase steroid production by the body to treat asthma. All studies with magnolia have been conducted in the laboratory.

How effective are magnolia products?

There is not enough scientific data to make a statement about the effectiveness of magnolia products when used to support weight loss. So far there is not much evidence that magnolia products cause weight loss. There is research showing that overweight women taking a specific product containing a combination of magnolia and philodendron extracts (Relora, Next Pharmaceuticals) did not gain as much weight as other women. They appeared to consume fewer calories, which may be related to the fact that magnolia extracts reduced their stress-related eating. However, there is no reliable evidence that this product actually causes weight loss.

Some other weight loss products contain magnolia bark and the manufacturers claim that it lowers cortisol levels. However, there is no evidence that magnolia bark causes weight loss or reduces cortisol levels. In fact, magnolia bark appears to increase levels of corticosterone, a chemical similar to cortisol. There is also a lack of scientific information on the effectiveness of magnolia products for anxiety, depression, obesity, digestive problems, inflammation, nasal congestion, runny nose, colds, headaches, dark spots on the face and toothache. Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of magnolia products in these applications.

Need in sports

Many athletes use Magnolia Officinalis to increase energy and reduce stress. Magnolia Officinalis has now been recognized as an effective fat burner. Current products use it to suppress the stress hormone cortisol (elevated cotrisol leads to increased fat storage, especially around the waist). New research shows that the active ingredients in Magnolia Officinalis - magnolol and honokiol - not only lower cortisol levels, but also help fat to leave the fat cells. Once the fat leaves its storage location, it can be transported to active tissues that use it as energy.

Safety and side effects

Magnolia products are potentially safe and harmless for most people for short-term use. The safety of using magnolia products for more than 6 weeks is not known. In one study, one person experienced heartburn, shaky hands, sexual problems and thyroid problems. Another person complained of fatigue and headaches. However, it is not known whether these side effects were caused by magnolia products or other factors. There is not enough information to evaluate the safety and harmlessness of magnolia products applied to the skin.

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: It is not safe to use magnolia buds during pregnancy. There are reports that magnolia buds may cause uterine contractions and could lead to miscarriage. Not enough is known about the safety and harmlessness of magnolia products during breastfeeding, so breastfeeding women should avoid magnolia products to be on the safe side.

Surgeries: Magnolia products can slow down the function of the central nervous system. There are concerns that magnolia products may reduce central nervous system function too much when combined with anesthetics or other medications used during or after surgery. Magnolia products could also slow down blood clotting and cause bleeding during and after surgery. For this reason, the use of magnolia products should be discontinued at least 2 weeks before upcoming operations.

Interactions

Care should be taken when combining magnolia products with the following medications:

Alcohol

Alcohol can cause drowsiness and dizziness. Magnolia bark can also cause drowsiness and dizziness. Taking large quantities of magnolia bark in combination with alcohol could result in excessive drowsiness and dizziness.

Sedatives (barbiturates, benzodiazepines and CNS suppressants)

Magnolia bark can cause drowsiness and dizziness. Drugs that cause drowsiness are called sedatives. Taking magnolia bark in combination with sedatives could increase drowsiness too much. For this reason, magnolia bark should not be taken when using sedatives.

Dosage

An appropriate dosage of magnolia products depends on various factors such as age, state of health and others. At this time, there is insufficient scientific data to determine appropriate dosage ranges for magnolia products. For this reason, you should follow the dosage instructions on the label and/or consult a doctor or pharmacist before use.

References

  1. Garrison R, Chambliss WG. Effect of a proprietary Magnolia and Phellodendron extract on weight management: a pilot, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Altern Ther Health Med 2006;12:50-4. View abstract.
  2. Hou YC, Chao PD, Chen SY. Honokiol and magnolol increased hippocampal acetylcholine release in freely-moving rats. Am J Chin Med 2000;28:379-84. view abstract.
  3. Jung KY, Kim DS, Oh SR, et al. Magnone A and B, novel anti-PAF tetrahydrofuran lignans from the flower buds of Magnolia fargesii. J Nat Prod 1998;61:808-11. view abstract.
  4. Kuribara H, Kishi E, Hattori N, et al. The anxiolytic effect of two oriental herbal drugs in Japan attributed to honokiol from magnolia bark. J Pharm Pharmacol 2000;52:1425-9. view abstract.
  5. Kuribara H, Kishi E, Maruyama Y. Does dihydrohonokiol, a potent anxiolytic compound, result in the development of benzodiazepine-like side effects? J Pharm Pharmacol 2000;52:1017-22. view abstract.
  6. Maruyama Y, Kuribara H, Kishi E, et al. Confirmation of the anxiolytic-like effect of dihydrohonokiol following behavioral and biochemical assessments. J Pharm Pharmacol 2001;53:721-5. view abstract.
  7. Nakazawa T, Yasuda T, Ohsawa K. Metabolites of orally administered Magnolia officinalis extract in rats and man and its antidepressant-like effects in mice. J Pharm Pharmacol 2003;55:1583-91. view abstract.
  8. Tachikawa E, Takahashi M, Kashimoto T. Effects of extract and ingredients isolated from Magnolia obovata thunberg on catecholamine secretion from bovine adrenal chromaffin cells. Biochem Pharmacol 2000;60:433-40. view abstract.
  9. Teng CM, Chen CC, Ko FN, et al. Two antiplatelet agents from Magnolia officinalis. Thromb Res 1988;50:757-65. view abstract.
  10. Wang SM, Lee LJ, Huang YT, et al. Magnolol stimulates steroidogenesis in rat adrenal cells. Br J Pharmacol 2000;131:1172-8. view abstract.
  11. Zhong WB, Wang CY, Ho KJ, et al. Magnolol induces apoptosis in human leukemia cells via cytochrome c release and caspase activation. Anticancer Drugs 2003;14:211-7. view abstract.