Hou Po
Name: Magnolia (厚朴)
Pinyin: Hou Po
Pharm. Name: Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis
Properties:
|
Taste |
Characteristics |
Organs |
Dosage |
|
Bitter, Acrid, Aromatic |
Dry dampness, move qi, relieve dyspnea. |
Large Intestine |
3-10g |
Description:
The dried bark or bark of branch, root of Magnolia officinalis. It is bitter and pungent in property, and can not only dry damp-turbidity but also move qi and relieve distention. For disturbance of qi movement due to damp obstruction of middle energizer manifested as gastric and abdominal distention, poor appetite, nausea and vomiting, it is usually combined with the dampness-drying and qi-moving herbs. It can dry dampness and resolve phlegm, drive qi downward and relieve dyspnea. For adverse rise of lung qi due to interior obstruction of phlegm and dampness manifested as cough, dyspnea and chest stuffiness, it is usually combined with the herbs of drying dampness and resolving phlegm, driving qi downward and relieving dyspnea. In addition, its actions of drying dampness and resolving phlegm, driving qi downward and soothing middle energizer can be used for the plum-stone syndrome due to combination of phlegm and qi.