Pharmaceutical Name:

Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis

Botanical Name:

Magnolia officinalis Rehd. Et wils.
Magnolia officinalis Rehd. Et Wills. Var. biloba Rhed. Et wills.

Common Name:

Magnolia bark

Source of Earliest Record:

Shennong Bencao Jing

Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations:

Between April and June, the bark is peeled off and dried in the shade.  After a process of boiling, piling, steaming and drying, the herb is ready for use.

Properties and Taste:

Bitter, pungent and warm

Meridian:

Spleen, stomach, lung and large intestine

Functions:

To promote qi circulation
To dry dampness
To descend rebellious qi and relieve asthma
To resolve retention of food

Indications and Combinations:

1.     Disharmony of spleen and stomach due to stagnation of dampness and retention of food manifested as epigastric distention and fullness.
*Use with Atractylodes rhizome (Cangzhu) and Tangerine peel (Chenpi) in the formula Pingwei San.  If abdominal distension and pain and constipation, use herb with Rhubarb (Dahuang) and Immature bitter orange (Zhishi) in the formula Da Chengqi Tang.

2.      Cough and asthma.
*Use with Apricot seed (Xingren) in the formula Guizhi Jia Houpo Xingzi Tang.

Dosage:

3-10 g