magnolia-bark

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• magnolia-bark
• Houpu Magnolia

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Houpoea officinalis

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Magnoliales, falling into the family Magnoliaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Magnolia, specifically the species Magnolia officinalis.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad natural range across various regions of the Chinese landscape. It is widely documented to grow throughout China South-Central, thriving in many of its diverse climates. The species also maintains a presence in China North-Central, extending its reach into the heart of the country. Furthermore, its distribution includes the lush environments of China Southeast. Finally, the plant can be found inhabiting the unique high-altitude terrains of Tibet.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Magnolia officinalis is characterized by its classification as a phanerophyte, specifically functioning as both a phanerophyte and a nanophanerophyte depending on its developmental stage and environmental conditions. As a woody perennial, it maintains its perennating buds high above the ground on its branches, ensuring survival through seasonal changes. The plant begins its life cycle from seeds produced in large, cone-like aggregates, which germinate to establish a robust root system. As it matures, it develops into a large deciduous tree, exhibiting a life strategy where the vital organs are protected in elevated woody structures. This phanerophytic growth habit allows the species to dominate the understory or mid-canopy of its native forest habitats, utilizing its perennial structure to undergo annual cycles of leaf senescence and spring regrowth.

Life form :

phanerophyte

Morphology

The morphology of Magnolia officinalis is characterized by its stature as a large, woody tree, reaching a mean plant height of approximately 20 m. As a self-supporting species, it does not exhibit climbing behavior and functions as an independent organism, neither acting as a parasite nor as an epiphyte, as it maintains a strictly terrestrial growth habit.

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

20 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Magnolia officinalis is characterized by a complex metabolic framework designed to support its perennial woody growth and the synthesis of bioactive secondary metabolites. As a dicotyledonous angiosperm, its carbon fixation is governed by the C3 photosynthetic pathway, where CO2 is initially fixed into a three-carbon compound through the action of the enzyme RuBisCO during the Calvin cycle. This process involves the absorption of light energy through chlorophyll pigments within the chloroplasts to drive the conversion of water and carbon dioxide into glucose. Beyond primary metabolism, the plant exhibits specialized physiological processes related to the biosynthesis of lignans, such as magnolol and honokiol, which are often synthesized via the phenylpropanoid pathway. These compounds serve critical physiological roles, including defense mechanisms against herbivory and microbial pathogens, as well as regulating the plant's response to environmental stressors. Additionally, its vascular physiology is optimized for the long-distance transport of nutrients and water through a robust xylem and phloem system, supporting the structural integrity and metabolic demands of its large, woody stems and expansive leaf canopy.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Magnolia officinalis has 4 reported plant parts identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, root, stem, seed.

Leaf

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
2. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences

Root

1. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences
2. Fitoterapia

Stem

1. Journal of natural products
2. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences

Seed

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Chemicals

Magnolia officinalis has 66 reported phytochemicals identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Magnolol, Honokiol, Lignans, Flavonoids, Magnatriol B.

Magnolol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Fish & shellfish immunology
3. BMC plant biology
4. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
5. BioFactors (Oxford, England)

Honokiol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Fish & shellfish immunology
3. BMC plant biology
4. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
5. BioFactors (Oxford, England)

Lignans

1. iScience
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. The American journal of Chinese medicine

Flavonoids

1. BMC plant biology
2. Natural product communications

Magnatriol B

1. Journal of natural products
2. Experimental biology and medicine (Maywood, N.J.)

Phenols

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

alpha-Eudesmol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of separation science

beta-Eudesmol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of separation science

4'-Methoxymagnaldehyde B

1. Journal of natural products

4'-Methoxymagnaldehyde E

1. Journal of natural products

Activities

Magnolia officinalis has 369 reported activities identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antiangiogenic, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Anxiolytic.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. BioFactors (Oxford, England)
3. Planta medica

Antiangiogenic

1. Dr. Duke
2. BioFactors (Oxford, England)

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Experimental biology and medicine (Maywood, N.J.)

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. BioFactors (Oxford, England)

Anxiolytic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Neurochemical research

Cardioprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of molecular sciences

Neuroprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of chromatography. A

(-)-Chronotropic

1. Dr. Duke

(-)-Inotropic

1. Dr. Duke

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Magnolia officinalis has 35 reported investigations on conditions identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include anxiety, asthma, Depression, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease.

Anxiety

1. Journal of natural products
2. Neurochemical research
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. Alternative therapies in health and medicine
5. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition

Asthma

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Biomedical chromatography : BMC
4. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Depression

1. International journal of molecular sciences
2. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition

Epilepsy

1. Journal of natural products
2. ACS chemical neuroscience

Alzheimer's disease

1. CNS & neurological disorders drug targets

Anger

1. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition

Confusion

1. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition

Fatigue

1. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition

Helicobacter pylori

1. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin

Mrsa

1. Experimental biology and medicine (Maywood, N.J.)

Preparations

Magnolia officinalis has 24 reported preparations identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Magnolia bark, bark, cortex, extracts, Alcohol Extract.

Magnolia bark

1. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences
2. International journal of molecular sciences

Bark

1. The Prostate
2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Cortex

1. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Extracts

1. Journal of natural products
2. Journal of obesity

Alcohol extract

1. Drug design, development and therapy

Banxia houpu decoction

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Cortex of magnolia officinalis

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Huoxiang zhengqi liquid

1. Journal of chromatographic science

Magnolia bark extract

1. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition

Magnolia bark preparations

1. Biochimica et biophysica acta