Magnoliaceae · stem bark
Magnolia bark
Magnolia officinalis
Aromatic bark mapped as a traditional TCM qi-moving, damp-transforming herb. Isolated lignan extracts are a different modern product.
Safety first
Hou po is a TCM formula bark, not a Western sleep gummy ingredient by tradition. Honokiol/magnolol extracts sold for anxiety are a modern concentrate with limited long-term safety mapping.
Tradition vs trials
Traditional record. Bensky records hou po for middle-jiao stagnation, focal distention, and some wheezing patterns. That is pattern language.
Trial literature. Human data are mostly formula-level or small honokiol-combination studies. This catalog keeps the tag traditional for the official bark.
Practical ranges
Educational ranges — not a prescription. Culinary use is not an extract.
bark in decoction (professional)
Bensky / Chinese Pharmacopoeia professional ranges are typically about 3–9 g in decoction, in formulas
Chinese Pharmacopoeia / Bensky — Educational range only — not a prescription. A licensed clinician individualizes product, dose, and duration.
Pregnancy, nursing, children
- Pregnancy. Insufficient reliable data; avoid unless a clinician directs otherwise.
- Nursing. Insufficient reliable data; avoid unless a clinician directs otherwise.
- Children. Insufficient reliable data; avoid unless a clinician directs otherwise.
Contraindications
- known magnolia allergy
- self-use of high-honokiol isolates without clinician review
Key interactions
- sedatives · caution
Additive CNS depression possible with lignan extracts.