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Magnolia is the dried flower bud of the Magnolia biondii, Magnolia denudata, or Magnolia sprengeri of the Magnoliaceae family. It is mostly cultivated and primarily produced in Henan, Anhui, Zhejiang, Sichuan, Shaanxi, Hubei, Yunnan, and various regions in East China. The original plant, Magnolia biondii, grows in mountain forests at altitudes of 400 to 2400 meters; Magnolia denudata thrives in mixed evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved forests below 1200 meters; and Magnolia sprengeri is found in mixed evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved forests at altitudes of 1300 to 2000 meters. They all prefer warm and humid climates, are relatively drought and cold-resistant, avoid waterlogging, and grow best in sunny, fertile, slightly acidic sandy soil. It has a pungent taste and warm nature, belonging to the lung and stomach meridians. Its effects include dispersing wind-cold, benefiting lung qi, relieving nasal congestion, and stopping headaches. It is generally used raw in clinical practice and is named Magnolia.

bubble_chart Compendium of Materia Medica

Shennong Bencao Jing: Pungent in taste, warm in nature. It treats cold wind in the five zang-organs, wind-induced headache, and facial blemishes.

Mingyi Bielu: Non-toxic. It warms the middle, relaxes the flesh, benefits the nine orifices, unblocks nasal congestion, and treats facial swelling leading to toothache, dizziness, and a floating sensation as if on a boat or carriage. It promotes hair growth and eliminates white worms.

Yaoxing Lun: As a minister herb, it treats facial blemishes and is used in facial creams for a radiant complexion.

Rihuazi Bencao: It unblocks meridians, improves vision, and treats headaches and chills. It also alleviates body stiffness and cutaneous itching.

Kaibao Bencao: Pungent in taste, warm in nature, non-toxic. It warms the middle, relaxes the flesh, benefits the nine orifices, unblocks nasal congestion, and treats facial swelling leading to toothache, dizziness, and a floating sensation as if on a boat or carriage. It promotes hair growth and eliminates white worms.

Bencao Gangmu: It treats sinusitis, epistaxis, nasal congestion, and nasal vestibulitis.

The pungent and warm nature of Magnolia enters the qi and lung meridians, aiding the clear yang of the stomach to ascend, thus warming the middle and treating diseases of the head, face, eyes, and nose.

Bencao Jingshu: Magnolia is born with the qi of spring yang, hence its pungent taste, warm nature, and non-toxicity. Its qi is clear and fragrant, its taste thin and dispersing, floating and ascending, belonging to the yang. It enters the hand Taiyin and foot Yangming meridians. It treats cold and heat in the five zang-organs, wind-induced headache, facial blemishes, relaxes the flesh, unblocks nasal congestion, and treats facial swelling leading to toothache, all caused by wind evil affecting these two meridians. The foot Yangming governs muscles, and the hand Taiyin governs skin and hair. Wind evil attacks humans through the skin, hair, and muscles, reaching the five zang-organs and transforming into cold and heat. The nose is the orifice of the lung, and the head is the meeting point of all yang meridians. The three yang meridians converge at the head and face. Wind evil in the yang aspect causes headache, facial blemishes, nasal congestion, and facial swelling leading to toothache. The pungent and warm nature can relax the flesh and disperse the exterior, while the fragrant nature can ascend to the head and eyes, expelling wind evil from the yang aspect, thus curing these symptoms. Dizziness and a floating sensation as if on a boat or carriage are signs of wind-induced shaking. When wind evil is dispersed and middle qi is warmed, the nine orifices are unblocked. Severe wind evil causes hair loss, and wind-dampness leads to intestinal worms. Dispelling wind and dampness promotes hair growth and eliminates worms.

Caution: Its pungent and dispersing nature is not suitable for those with qi deficiency. Even if one occasionally suffers from wind-cold and nasal congestion, it should not be used. Headache due to blood deficiency and excessive fire should not be treated with it. Toothache due to stomach fire should not be treated with it.

Bencao Mengquan: Pungent in taste, warm in nature. Non-toxic. Northerners call it "wooden pen," while southerners call it "spring welcome." It is incompatible with Acorus Typha, Coptis Rhizome, and Gypsum. It is antagonistic to stone fat and should be used with Sichuan Lovage Rhizome. It stops headache, facial swelling leading to toothache, and dizziness; eliminates cold and heat in the body, and unblocks nasal congestion with a fragrant smell. It promotes hair growth, kills worms, and stops clear nasal discharge, relieving stuffy orifices.

《Materia Medica Chenya》: Flowers and leaves of plants all have outer bracts, and the calyxes vary in their structure. Only the calyx of Magnolia is particularly prominent. It embodies the four properties, hence its pungent taste. Pungent means new. The Five Phases are balanced, hence its even nature. Even means level. Thus, it supports the form and uses the pungent and even wood nature to treat wind-induced headache and facial dryness with rising qi. Long-term use lightens the body, improves vision, and prolongs life by stabilizing the form and clearing the orifices.

《Explanation of Medicinal Properties》: Magnolia, pungent in taste, warm in nature, non-toxic, enters the lung and stomach meridians. It primarily treats body cold and heat, head wind, brain pain, facial swelling, toothache, dizziness as if on a boat or carriage, warms the middle, benefits the nine orifices, releases the flesh surface, unblocks nasal congestion, eliminates turbid nasal discharge, promotes beard and hair growth, kills white worms, and removes facial blemishes. Sichuan Lovage Rhizome is used as a guide, incompatible with Trogopterus Dung, and should be avoided with Acorus, Typha, Coptis Rhizome, and Gypsum.

Note: Magnolia is warm and pungent, dispersing in nature, and is suitable for entering the Taiyin and Yangming meridians. However, it should not be used indiscriminately for those with lung and stomach deficiency heat who are not affected by wind pathogens.

Jingyue Quanshu: Also known as Mubi and Yingchun. It has a pungent and warm nature and is a medicine for the Hand Taiyin and Foot Yangming meridians. It can relieve cold and heat, aversion to cold, and body chills, disperse wind-heat, benefit the nine orifices, eliminate head wind and brain pain, dizziness, and cutaneous pruritus, and treat facial swelling and tooth pain. For treating stuffy nose, nasal discharge, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, nasal vestibulitis, and post-smallpox nasal vestibulitis, it is advisable to grind it into powder, mix with a small amount of musk, and apply it with a Fistular Onion Stalk several times, which is very effective.

Bencao Beiyao: Also known as Mubi Flower. It disperses and dissipates upper energizer wind-heat.

It is pungent, warm, light, and floating. It enters the lung and stomach qi divisions. It can assist the clear yang in the stomach to ascend, connecting to the brain. It warms the middle and releases the flesh, benefits the nine orifices, and facilitates joint movement. It is mainly used to treat sinusitis and stuffy nose. The lung governs the nose, and when gallbladder heat transfers to the brain, it causes turbid nasal discharge and sinusitis. Wind-cold invading the brain causes stuffy nose. The classic says: Sinusitis is characterized by nasal discharge. Wang Bing said: If the gallbladder fluid is not clear, it causes turbid nasal discharge, like a spring that never stops, hence called sinusitis. It also treats headache, facial dark spots, and black patches, and can be used as a facial cream. It is effective for dizziness, toothache, and wind-heat diseases of the nine orifices. However, due to its dispersing nature, it is contraindicated for those with qi deficiency and excessive fire. Li Shizhen said: The lung resuscitates the nose, and the Yangming stomach meridian circles the nose and ascends. The brain is the house of the original spirit, and the nose is the orifice of the life gate. When the middle qi is insufficient and the clear yang does not rise, the head tilts, and the nine orifices become obstructed. My fellow townsman Jin Zhengxi once told me: Human memory resides in the lungs. Children's forgetfulness is due to an unfilled brain; elderly forgetfulness is due to a gradually emptying brain. When a person sees something, an image remains in the brain. Nowadays, when people recall past events, they often close their eyes and look upward to think, which is the intention of concentrating the spirit in the brain. Without Mr. Jin's explanation, people would not notice this. Li Shizhen said: The brain is the house of the original spirit. This meaning is subtly in line with it. Removing the outer skin and hair, the hair shoots into the lungs, causing coughing. Sichuan Lovage Rhizome is used as a guide, it is incompatible with stone fat, and fears Astragalus Root, Acorus, and Gypsum.

Benjing Fengyuan: The nose's qi connects to heaven, and the lung resuscitates the nose. Magnolia's pungent and warm nature moves qi and enters the lung to benefit the orifices. Its light and floating body can open the clear yang in the stomach, ascending to connect with heaven, hence Benjing treats yang qi depression, body cold and heat, head wind, brain pain, and facial sores. Its pungent and warm nature can release the flesh surface, and its fragrant aroma ascends to the head and eyes, expelling wind pathogens from the yang division, thus curing various symptoms. After Xuan Qi, only Dongyuan understood this principle. For allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, stuffy nose, and post-smallpox nasal vestibulitis, grind it into powder with a small amount of musk and apply it with a Fistular Onion Stalk, which is very effective. It is suitable for long-term nasal obstruction due to dampness in the brain and nose. However, due to its dispersing nature, it is contraindicated for those with blood deficiency, excessive fire, and stuffy nose, as well as those with temporary wind-cold and inability to smell.

Bencao Chongyuan: Magnolia has a pungent taste and fragrant smell, with white bracts and flowers, embodying the qi transformation of Yangming earth and metal. Yangming is earth, the convergence of the five zang-organs. Therefore, it treats disharmony of the five zang-organs causing body cold and heat. Yangming is metal, which can control wind, hence it treats wind-induced brain pain. When Yangming qi is abundant, the face shines, hence it treats facial dark spots. The classic says: Yangming is the stomach meridian, its qi descends, hence long-term use lowers qi.

Bencao Qiuzhen: [Comment] Disperses lung apoplexy heat.

Magnolia specifically enters the lungs. Pungent and warm in nature, it has a floating energy and is particularly effective in dispersing wind-heat from the lungs. As the human nasal passage Tongtian connects to the lungs, the nose is the orifice of the lungs. When wind-heat moves to the brain, it causes excessive turbid nasal discharge and sinusitis. When wind-cold invades the brain, it leads to a stuffy nose. The classic texts state: sinusitis is characterized by discharge, and if the bile is not clear, it results in continuous turbid nasal discharge like a spring, hence the term sinusitis. Sinusitis is not solely due to external contraction; Zhang Lu from Changyuan attributes it to latent fire in the Yangming channel, Jingyue from Kuaiji points to the fire of the Governor Vessel, and Chuzhan from Haiyan suggests it is due to deficiency in the kidney meridian. The key is to treat according to the symptoms. Headache, facial discoloration, dizziness, toothache, and obstruction of the nine orifices are all caused by wind-heat attacking upwards. Therefore, it is appropriate to use this aromatic herb to ascend to the head and eyes, while also expelling wind-evil from the Yang aspect, which will naturally cure these symptoms. However, its pungent and aromatic nature can lead to excessive movement, and it is contraindicated in cases of blood deficiency with intense fire, or when wind-cold is contracted and the sense of smell is lost. Li Shizhen said: The nasal passage connects to the heavens, which refers to the head and lungs. The lungs are revived through the nose, and the stomach meridian of Yangming circles the nose and ascends to the brain, which is the house of the original spirit, and the nose is the orifice of the life gate. When the middle qi of a person is insufficient and the clear Yang does not rise, the head tilts and the nine orifices become obstructed. The pungent and warm nature of Magnolia moves the qi and enters the lungs. Its light and floating body can assist the clear Yang of the stomach to ascend and connect to the heavens, thus warming the middle and treating diseases of the head, face, eyes, nose, and nine orifices. Wang Ang said: My fellow countryman, Mr. Jin Zhengxi, once told me: Human memory resides in the brain. Forgetfulness in children is due to the brain not being fully developed. Forgetfulness in the elderly is due to the brain gradually becoming empty. Whenever a person sees an object, an image is imprinted in the brain. Nowadays, when people try to recall past events, they often close their eyes and look upwards to think, which is the act of concentrating the spirit in the brain. If Mr. Jin had not pointed this out, people would have continued to do so without realizing it.

Depei Bencao: Sichuan Lovage Rhizome is used as an adjuvant. It is incompatible with Acorus, Coptis Rhizome, Typha, Gypsum, and Huanghuan. It is antagonistic to Five Stone Resin.

Pungent, warm. Enters the Taiyin Lung and Yangming Stomach meridians' qi aspect. Opens the nine orifices, benefits the joints, moves to the head and disperses wind-heat in the upper energizer.

Combined with Mentha and Gypsum, it treats clear nasal discharge. Combined with Chuanbai and oyster shell, it treats sinusitis with pus.

Contraindicated in cases of qi deficiency and excessive fire.

Shennong Bencao Jing Hundred Records: Pungent, warm. Governs the five zang-organs, body cold and heat, and diseases of sinking qi aspect. Wind headache, disperses wind pathogens. Facial blemishes. Removes wind stagnation in the skin and hair. Long-term use lowers qi, lightens the body, improves vision, and prolongs life. When the clearing qi aspect rises, turbid qi descends, and the body becomes clear and peaceful, leading to longevity.

Magnolia, when planted among other trees, will grow taller than them, as its nature is to ascend, thus it can elevate the clearing qi aspect. It also receives the earliest spring qi, hence it can soothe liver qi. Its aromatic and strong nature can expel pathogenic wind and treat head and eye diseases. When other medicines cannot reach, it serves as a guide.

Benjing Shuzheng: Without the five zang-organs' body cold and heat, and with wind headache, it is due to excessive yang at the top unable to interact with yin and transform into wind, which Magnolia cannot treat. With the five zang-organs' body cold and heat but without wind headache, it is due to pathogens connecting internally and externally, not following yang qi to penetrate, which Magnolia also cannot treat. Only wind headache associated with the five zang-organs' body cold and heat can be treated with Magnolia. Its pungent and warm nature promotes opening, and as the tree grows taller among others, its flowers bloom at the top, not on branches or leaves, and bloom before leaves sprout and wither, indicating its unique ability to treat such conditions. zang-organs' body cold and heat wind headache must have underlying wind in the brain, forming a nest. External cold or heat, internal stress or strain, all lead to symptoms manifesting upward, triggering underlying wind and causing headache. Magnolia's long-unopened, now blooming energy is used to disperse and uproot the nest, preventing recurrence. This also applies to facial blemishes. Generally, where the disease nests, healthy qi concentrates, and spirit gathers. Symptoms like dizziness and unsteadiness as if on a boat or carriage indicate the disease's root and pre-symptomatic state. Minor fatigue, slight cold, stuffy nose, facial swelling, toothache, and recurring pain over years align with this. Warming the middle, releasing flesh, and benefiting the nine orifices reveal the nest's destruction and pathogen's expulsion.

Bencao Xinbian: Magnolia, pungent, warm, non-toxic. Enters the Lung and Gallbladder meridians. Stops internal wind headache, facial swelling, toothache, dizziness, removes body cold and heat, unblocks nasal congestion, stops sinusitis with clear discharge, and promotes hair growth. It relieves stuffy orifices and moves upward to the brain, primarily for stuffy nose and sinusitis. Use sparingly as excessive use harms vital qi. Use temporarily, not long-term. Stop once the disease is cured; do not overuse due to its efficacy. This applies not only to Magnolia.

Bencao Fenjing: Pungent, warm. Enters the Lung and Stomach qi aspects. Assists stomach's clear yang to ascend to the head, warming the middle, releasing flesh, and relieving stuffy orifices. Treats wind-heat diseases of the nine orifices. Use externally for skin and hair.

bubble_chart Modern Pharmacology

1. Magnolia has local astringent, stimulating, anesthetic, and therapeutic effects on rhinitis. The volatile oil of Magnolia can cause dilation and congestion of the conjunctival blood vessels in rabbits, with a slight dilation of the pupils. Subcutaneous administration of Magnolia infusion or decoction to guinea pigs has an infiltration anesthetic effect. Saturated Magnolia solution can produce block anesthesia in the sciatic nerve of frogs. Experiments on the microcirculation of the auricle in mice with Magnolia distillate show that local application of Magnolia does not change the size of blood vessels but can increase blood flow velocity, improve microcirculation, and achieve therapeutic effects on nasal congestion. Since it does not have a vasoconstrictive effect, it does not cause rebound vasodilation due to smooth muscle paralysis, thereby avoiding drug-induced nasal congestion.
2. Magnolia has anti-pathogenic microbial and anti-inflammatory effects. Magnolia decoction inhibits various cocci, bacilli, and multiple disease-causing fungi.
3. Magnolia has analgesic effects.
4. Magnolia has hypotensive effects. The water or alcohol extracts of Magnolia have hypotensive effects on anesthetized dogs, cats, rabbits, and non-anesthetized rats and dogs. Magnolia also has hypotensive effects on experimental renal hypertensive rats, but the effect is not significant on renal hypertensive dogs. However, it has a significant hypotensive effect on primary hypertensive dogs.
5. Magnolia affects striated muscles, and its phenolic alkaloid (C₁₇H₁₉O₃N) has a curare-like effect. The water-decocted preparation shows antagonism and has an acetylcholine-like effect.
6. Magnolia has excitatory effects on the uterus and inhibits the contraction of isolated intestines.
7. Magnolia has anti-allergic effects.
8. Magnolia has anti-hepatic microsomal peroxidation injury effects.
9. Magnolia significantly increases blood flow in the isolated rabbit ear vessels and the nasal mucosa of rats.
10. Magnolia has anticoagulant effects, and its lignin components counteract platelet-activating factors, inhibiting their binding to rabbit platelet membrane preparations.
11. Magnolia also has anti-dopamine, anti-cancer, and respiratory stimulant effects.