Magnolia Bark Extract

Last Updated: September 28 2022

Magnolia officinalis is a traditional chinese medicine known for its neuroprotective and relaxing properties, being used to treat depression and anxiety as well as acting as a slight sedative. It may also possess anti-cancer effects in higher doses.

Magnolia Bark Extract is most often used for

Summary

Magnolia Officinalis is a plant from the Magnolia species of plants which share a set of similar compounds. Two of them, known as Honokiol and Magnolol, are seen as the active ingredients.

Magnolia plants tend to be significantly cancer protective, and show protective effects on the liver and the brain via fighting inflammation and oxidation. They have also been linked to anti-depressant and anxiety reducing effects.

One of the compounds, Honokiol, is currently in trials for usage as an adjunct treatment for cancer therapy.

Benefits can be found with drinking Magnolia teas, known as Saiboku-to, although the tea should be consumed with meals due to the fat-solubility of the active ingredients.

What else is Magnolia Bark Extract known as?
Note that Magnolia Bark Extract is also known as:
  • Saiboku-to
  • Magnolia Bark Extract
  • Honokiol
  • Magnolol
  • Magnolia Officinalis
Magnolia Bark Extract should not be confused with:
Dosage information

The dosage of magnolia officinalis to take varies on goal. For those related to GABA (including anxiety, sedation, stress, and epilepsy) an oral dose of 0.2mg/kg in mice appears effective and suggests very lose doses (5-10 mg) are effective in humans.

For those goals related to learning or depression, higher doses may be required. This usually means 15-30mg/kg in rats, and suggests a human dose of:

  • 160-330 mg for a 150lb person
  • 220-440 mg for a 200lb person
  • 270-550 mg for a 250lb person

The above doses refer to the total neolignans (usually magnolol plus honokiol), which are usually at 1-10% of a basic bark extract unless otherwise concentrated.

Supplements Demystified: Get Our Unbiased, Evidence-Based Guide

Examine Database: Magnolia Bark Extract
What works and what doesn't?

Unlock the full potential of Examine

Get started

Don't miss out on the latest research

References
1.^Kuribara H, Kishi E, Hattori N, Okada M, Maruyama YThe anxiolytic effect of two oriental herbal drugs in Japan attributed to honokiol from magnolia barkJ Pharm Pharmacol.(2000 Nov)
2.^Naito A, Satoh H, Sekizawa KAsthma as well as anxiety improved by the Kampo extract Saiboku-toEur J Intern Med.(2005 Dec)
3.^Luo L, Nong Wang J, Kong LD, Jiang QG, Tan RXAntidepressant effects of Banxia Houpu decoction, a traditional Chinese medicinal empirical formulaJ Ethnopharmacol.(2000 Nov)
4.^Xu Q, Yi LT, Pan Y, Wang X, Li YC, Li JM, Wang CP, Kong LDAntidepressant-like effects of the mixture of honokiol and magnolol from the barks of Magnolia officinalis in stressed rodentsProg Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry.(2008 Apr 1)
6.^Jiang Y, Vaysse J, Gilard V, Balayssac S, Déjean S, Malet-Martino M, David B, Fiorini C, Barbin YQuality Assessment of Commercial Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex by (1) H-NMR-based Metabolomics and HPLC MethodsPhytochem Anal.(2011 Oct 24)
8.^Yu S, Zhang C, Chen C, Yan R, Yang B, Liao C, You JEffects of primary processing on quality of cortex Magnolia officinalisZhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi.(2010 Jul)
11.^Matsuda H, Kageura T, Oda M, Morikawa T, Sakamoto Y, Yoshikawa MEffects of constituents from the bark of Magnolia obovata on nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophagesChem Pharm Bull (Tokyo).(2001 Jun)
13.^Yan RY, Liu HL, Zhang JY, Yang BPhenolic glycosides and other constituents from the bark of Magnolia officinalisJ Asian Nat Prod Res.(2013 Aug 5)
14.^Jiang Y, Pan X, Zhu B, Si J, Huang H, Zhu YVariation of phenolic compound contents of Magnolia officinalis at different levelsZhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi.(2010 Nov)
15.^Yang HB, Zhan YH, Shi L, Liao CL, Lin XM, Lan XQPhenols in seedling cortex of Magnolia officinalis from EnshiZhong Yao Cai.(2008 Feb)
16.^Watanabe K, Watanabe HY, Goto Y, Yamamoto N, Yoshizaki MStudies on the active principles of magnolia bark. Centrally acting muscle relaxant activity of magnolol and hōnokiolJpn J Pharmacol.(1975 Oct)
17.^Lee YJ, Lee YM, Lee CK, Jung JK, Han SB, Hong JTTherapeutic applications of compounds in the Magnolia familyPharmacol Ther.(2011 May)
21.^Tsai TH, Chou CJ, Chen CFDisposition of magnolol after intravenous bolus and infusion in rabbitsDrug Metab Dispos.(1994 Jul-Aug)
23.^Wang X, Duan X, Yang G, Zhang X, Deng L, Zheng H, Deng C, Wen J, Wang N, Peng C, Zhao X, Wei Y, Chen LHonokiol crosses BBB and BCSFB, and inhibits brain tumor growth in rat 9L intracerebral gliosarcoma model and human U251 xenograft glioma modelPLoS One.(2011 Apr 29)
25.^Tsai TH, Westly J, Lee TF, Chen CF, Wang LCEffects of honokiol and magnolol on acetylcholine release from rat hippocampal slicesPlanta Med.(1995 Oct)
28.^Matsui N, Takahashi K, Takeichi M, Kuroshita T, Noguchi K, Yamazaki K, Tagashira H, Tsutsui K, Okada H, Kido Y, Yasui Y, Fukuishi N, Fukuyama Y, Akagi MMagnolol and honokiol prevent learning and memory impairment and cholinergic deficit in SAMP8 miceBrain Res.(2009 Dec 11)
30.^Taferner B, Schuehly W, Huefner A, Baburin I, Wiesner K, Ecker GF, Hering SModulation of GABAA-receptors by honokiol and derivatives: subtype selectivity and structure-activity relationshipJ Med Chem.(2011 Aug 11)
31.^Ma H, Kim CS, Ma Y, Nam SY, Kim DS, Woo SS, Hong JT, Oh KWMagnolol enhances pentobarbital-induced sleeping behaviors: possible involvement of GABAergic systemsPhytother Res.(2009 Sep)
36.^Koetter U, Barrett M, Lacher S, Abdelrahman A, Dolnick DInteractions of Magnolia and Ziziphus extracts with selected central nervous system receptorsJ Ethnopharmacol.(2009 Jul 30)
40.^Yi LT, Xu Q, Li YC, Yang L, Kong LDAntidepressant-like synergism of extracts from magnolia bark and ginger rhizome alone and in combination in miceProg Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry.(2009 Jun 15)
41.^Watanabe K, Watanabe H, Goto Y, Yamaguchi M, Yamamoto N, Hagino KPharmacological properties of magnolol and honokiol extracted from Magnolia officinalis: central depressant effectsPlanta Med.(1983 Oct)
45.^Mucci M, Carraro C, Mancino P, Monti M, Papadia LS, Volpini G, Benvenuti CSoy isoflavones, lactobacilli, Magnolia bark extract, vitamin D3 and calcium. Controlled clinical study in menopauseMinerva Ginecol.(2006 Aug)
48.^Qiang LQ, Wang CP, Wang FM, Pan Y, Yi LT, Zhang X, Kong LDCombined administration of the mixture of honokiol and magnolol and ginger oil evokes antidepressant-like synergism in ratsArch Pharm Res.(2009 Sep)
50.^Sohn EJ, Kim CS, Kim YS, Jung DH, Jang DS, Lee YM, Kim JSEffects of magnolol (5,5'-diallyl-2,2'-dihydroxybiphenyl) on diabetic nephropathy in type 2 diabetic Goto-Kakizaki ratsLife Sci.(2007 Jan 9)
52.^Patsouris D, Müller M, Kersten SPeroxisome proliferator activated receptor ligands for the treatment of insulin resistanceCurr Opin Investig Drugs.(2004 Oct)
53.^Evans RM, Barish GD, Wang YXPPARs and the complex journey to obesityNat Med.(2004 Apr)
55.^Gregoire FM, Zhang F, Clarke HJ, Gustafson TA, Sears DD, Favelyukis S, Lenhard J, Rentzeperis D, Clemens LE, Mu Y, Lavan BEMBX-102/JNJ39659100, a novel peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-ligand with weak transactivation activity retains antidiabetic properties in the absence of weight gain and edemaMol Endocrinol.(2009 Jul)
56.^Bhalla K, Hwang BJ, Choi JH, Dewi R, Ou L, Mclenithan J, Twaddel W, Pozharski E, Stock J, Girnun GDN-Acetylfarnesylcysteine is a novel class of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ ligand with partial and full agonist activity in vitro and in vivoJ Biol Chem.(2011 Dec 2)
57.^Fakhrudin N, Ladurner A, Atanasov AG, Heiss EH, Baumgartner L, Markt P, Schuster D, Ellmerer EP, Wolber G, Rollinger JM, Stuppner H, Dirsch VMComputer-aided discovery, validation, and mechanistic characterization of novel neolignan activators of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gammaMol Pharmacol.(2010 Apr)
58.^Atanasov AG, Wang JN, Gu SP, Bu J, Kramer MP, Baumgartner L, Fakhrudin N, Ladurner A, Malainer C, Vuorinen A, Noha SM, Schwaiger S, Rollinger JM, Schuster D, Stuppner H, Dirsch VM, Heiss EHHonokiol: A non-adipogenic PPARγ agonist from natureBiochim Biophys Acta.(2013 Jun 27)
59.^Choi SS, Cha BY, Iida K, Sato M, Lee YS, Teruya T, Yonezawa T, Nagai K, Woo JTHonokiol enhances adipocyte differentiation by potentiating insulin signaling in 3T3-L1 preadipocytesJ Nat Med.(2011 Jul)
60.^Bardot O, Aldridge TC, Latruffe N, Green SPPAR-RXR heterodimer activates a peroxisome proliferator response element upstream of the bifunctional enzyme geneBiochem Biophys Res Commun.(1993 Apr 15)
62.^Choi SS, Cha BY, Lee YS, Yonezawa T, Teruya T, Nagai K, Woo JTMagnolol enhances adipocyte differentiation and glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 cellsLife Sci.(2009 Jun 19)
64.^Eke PI, Dye BA, Wei L, Thornton-Evans GO, Genco RJ; CDC Periodontal Disease Surveillance workgroup: James Beck (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA), Gordon Douglass (Past President, American Academy of Periodontology), Roy Page (University of WashinPrevalence of periodontitis in adults in the United States: 2009 and 2010J Dent Res.(2012 Oct)
66.^Schacher B, Baron F, Rossberg M, Wohlfeil M, Arndt R, Eickholz PAggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans as indicator for aggressive periodontitis by two analysing strategiesJ Clin Periodontol.(2007 Jul)
67.^Crotti T, Smith MD, Hirsch R, Soukoulis S, Weedon H, Capone M, Ahern MJ, Haynes DReceptor activator NF kappaB ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) protein expression in periodontitisJ Periodontal Res.(2003 Aug)
69.^Chang B, Lee Y, Ku Y, Bae K, Chung CAntimicrobial activity of magnolol and honokiol against periodontopathic microorganismsPlanta Med.(1998 May)
70.^Ho KY, Tsai CC, Chen CP, Huang JS, Lin CCAntimicrobial activity of honokiol and magnolol isolated from Magnolia officinalisPhytother Res.(2001 Mar)
71.^Chen JS, Chen YL, Greenberg AS, Chen YJ, Wang SMMagnolol stimulates lipolysis in lipid-laden RAW 264.7 macrophagesJ Cell Biochem.(2005 Apr 1)
74.^Fried LE, Arbiser JLHonokiol, a multifunctional antiangiogenic and antitumor agentAntioxid Redox Signal.(2009 May)
76.^Bai X, Cerimele F, Ushio-Fukai M, Waqas M, Campbell PM, Govindarajan B, Der CJ, Battle T, Frank DA, Ye K, Murad E, Dubiel W, Soff G, Arbiser JLHonokiol, a small molecular weight natural product, inhibits angiogenesis in vitro and tumor growth in vivoJ Biol Chem.(2003 Sep 12)
79.^Funa NS, Reddy K, Bhandarkar S, Kurenova EV, Yang L, Cance WG, Welsh M, Arbiser JLShb gene knockdown increases the susceptibility of SVR endothelial tumor cells to apoptotic stimuli in vitro and in vivoJ Invest Dermatol.(2008 Mar)
80.^Ishitsuka K, Hideshima T, Hamasaki M, Raje N, Kumar S, Hideshima H, Shiraishi N, Yasui H, Roccaro AM, Richardson P, Podar K, Le Gouill S, Chauhan D, Tamura K, Arbiser J, Anderson KCHonokiol overcomes conventional drug resistance in human multiple myeloma by induction of caspase-dependent and -independent apoptosisBlood.(2005 Sep 1)
81.^Shigemura K, Arbiser JL, Sun SY, Zayzafoon M, Johnstone PA, Fujisawa M, Gotoh A, Weksler B, Zhau HE, Chung LWHonokiol, a natural plant product, inhibits the bone metastatic growth of human prostate cancer cellsCancer.(2007 Apr 1)
85.^Wang T, Chen F, Chen Z, Wu YF, Xu XL, Zheng S, Hu XHonokiol induces apoptosis through p53-independent pathway in human colorectal cell line RKOWorld J Gastroenterol.(2004 Aug 1)
86.^Wolf I, O'Kelly J, Wakimoto N, Nguyen A, Amblard F, Karlan BY, Arbiser JL, Koeffler HPHonokiol, a natural biphenyl, inhibits in vitro and in vivo growth of breast cancer through induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrestInt J Oncol.(2007 Jun)
88.^Garcia A, Zheng Y, Zhao C, Toschi A, Fan J, Shraibman N, Brown HA, Bar-Sagi D, Foster DA, Arbiser JLHonokiol suppresses survival signals mediated by Ras-dependent phospholipase D activity in human cancer cellsClin Cancer Res.(2008 Jul 1)
89.^Liu Y, Chen L, He X, Fan L, Yang G, Chen X, Lin X, DU L, Li Z, Ye H, Mao Y, Zhao X, Wei YEnhancement of therapeutic effectiveness by combining liposomal honokiol with cisplatin in ovarian carcinomaInt J Gynecol Cancer.(2008 Jul-Aug)
90.^Wang XH, Cai LL, Zhang XY, Deng LY, Zheng H, Deng CY, Wen JL, Zhao X, Wei YQ, Chen LJImproved solubility and pharmacokinetics of PEGylated liposomal honokiol and human plasma protein binding ability of honokiolInt J Pharm.(2011 May 30)
91.^Jiang QQ, Fan LY, Yang GL, Guo WH, Hou WL, Chen LJ, Wei YQImproved therapeutic effectiveness by combining liposomal honokiol with cisplatin in lung cancer modelBMC Cancer.(2008 Aug 16)
92.^Li L, Han W, Gu Y, Qiu S, Lu Q, Jin J, Luo J, Hu XHonokiol induces a necrotic cell death through the mitochondrial permeability transition poreCancer Res.(2007 May 15)
95.^Hibasami H, Achiwa Y, Katsuzaki H, Imai K, Yoshioka K, Nakanishi K, Ishii Y, Hasegawa M, Komiya THonokiol induces apoptosis in human lymphoid leukemia Molt 4B cellsInt J Mol Med.(1998 Dec)