Medicinals
hòu pò / 厚朴 / 厚朴 / officinal magnolia bark
Latin pharmacognostic name: Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex
Alternate English names:
Alternate Chinese names:
Origin: Plant
Use: medicinal
Category: Aromatic dampness-transforming agents
Properties: Bitter, acrid; warm.
Channel entry: spleen, stomach, lung, and large intestine channels.
Indications:
- Moves qì and dries dampness: Oppression in the stomach duct, abdominal fullness, abdominal pain, or retching due to qì stagnation and dampness obstructing the center burner.
- Disperses accumulations:
Accumulation and stagnation in the stomach and intestines withbound stool and distension and fullness in the stomach duct and abdomen. - Calms panting:
Phlegm-rheum panting and cough.
Dosage & Method:
Oral: 3–10g in decoctions; also used in pills and powders. Mostly used stir-fried (with ginger)
Warning:
Use with care in pregnancy.
Notes:
Hòu pò varies considerably in appearance because it is sliced in several different ways. High quality hòu pò is expensive and has a high oil content; it glistens in the sunlight.
Product Description:
This product comes in the form of single or double quills, roughly 35 cm long, and 2–5 mm wide. The outer surface is a dull, grayish brown in color and is rough and scaly in texture, with an irregular grain. The inner surface is a purplish brown with a straight grain. This bark is hard and breaks to leave a jagged fibrous edge.
Quality:
Good quality barks have an outer layer thicker than the inner layer and have a clear reddish-purple hue on the cross section. They have a high oil content, a strong smell, and a sweet, acrid taste.
Product Area:
Sìchuān, Húběi, Zhèjiāng, the best coming from Sìchuān.
Etymology:
The name hòu pò 厚朴 is said to reflect the thickness (hòu 厚) of this bark and its unadorned simplicity (朴, 朴).