hou po

厚朴·Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis

Magnolia Bark

About hou po

Hou Po (厚朴) is the bark of magnolia, recorded as Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis. It is bitter, acrid and aromatic in flavour, warm in temperature, and enters the Lung, Spleen, Stomach and Large Intestine channels. The catalogue files it among the aromatic herbs that transform Damp.

Names

Pinyinhou po
Chinese厚朴
Latin NameCortex Magnoliae Officinalis
English NameMagnolia Bark
Japanesekoboku·kobuku
Koreanhubak

Classification

Channels
Lung, Large Intestine, Stomach, Spleen
Flavour
Acrid, Bitter, Aromatic
Temperature
Warm
Part used
Bark
Family
Magnoliaceae
Species
Magnolia Officinalis
Tags
Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Moves Qi in the Middle Jiao and resolves stagnation, including food stagnation

  • Qi and food stagnation in the Spleen and Stomach, with a distended, full chest or abdomen
  • Bloating and constipation, with a slow digestion and little appetite
  • Plum-pit throat

Moves Qi downward, warms and dries Damp and transforms Phlegm

  • Damp or Phlegm blocking the Middle Jiao: distension and fullness, nausea or vomiting, poor appetite, diarrhea and a greasy, turbid tongue coat

Descends rebellious Qi, reduces Phlegm and calms wheezing

  • Cough, wheezing and breathlessness when copious Phlegm congests the Lungs and chest

Combinations

Dosage

AgeRawGranuleTinctureConcentrateFrequency
Any 3-10g; Tincture: 1-4ml3-10 g1-4 ml

Cautions

Interactions

Antagonistic with

Drug interactions

Prepared forms (1)

hou po Jiang Zhi

厚朴·Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis

Hou Po (Jiang Zhi) (厚朴) is hou po processed with ginger juice, the bark of magnolia, recorded as Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis. No category, channels or actions are recorded for it.

The catalogue records no separate actions, dose or cautions for this preparation. Unless noted above it follows hou po.