Xin Yi (Hua)
StarMagnolia biondii Pamp.
Traditionally used for
- Headaches
- Nose & throat
- Cough & breathing
- Colds & fever
- Digestion
☯ TCM Properties
Expels Wind-Cold and u nblocks the nasal passages
Traditional Chinese Uses
Xin Yi Hua (Flos Magnoliae, the dried unopened flower bud of Magnolia biondii and related species) is a pungent, warm exterior-releasing herb entering the Lung and Stomach channels. It expels Wind-Cold and, most distinctively, opens the nasal orifices, making it the premier TCM herb for nasal congestion, clear or thick nasal discharge, sinus headache, and loss of smell. It is used for both Wind-Cold and, in combination, Wind-Heat or chronic patterns of rhinitis and sinusitis (bi yuan).
Classic combinations include Xin Yi San and Cang Er Zi San, where it is paired with Cang Er Zi, Bai Zhi, and Bo He to unblock the nose and relieve frontal headache. Typical dose is 3-9 g. Because the hairy bud can irritate the throat, it is conventionally wrapped in cloth when decocted. It is used cautiously in Yin-deficient heat patterns.
Western Herbalism Properties
Pharmacological Effects
- Antiallergic: Essential oil antagonized slow reaction substance, inhibited histamine/acetylcholine-induced guinea pig ileum contraction and protected guinea pigs against allergic asthma; citral a and b, geraniol, linalool, eugenol and isoeugenol identified as active.
- Hypotensive: Aqueous/ethanolic extracts given parenterally lowered blood pressure in several anesthetized and unanesthetized animal models (over 40% fall at 1 g crude drug/kg); oral dosing inactive, attributed to poor absorption; mechanism linked to vasodilation, ganglionic blockade and cardiac inhibition. Lignans antagonized platelet-activating factor.
- Local astringent, stimulant and anesthetic: Oil preparations caused conjunctival vasodilation in rabbits and a protein membrane on mucosal surfaces; extract/decoction produced infiltration anesthesia in guinea pigs and nerve block in frogs.
- Effect on striated muscle: Phenolic alkaloids of M. biondii had a curare-like effect on frog muscle preparations; the aqueous extract had an acetylcholine-like effect.
- Uterine and intestinal smooth muscle: Aqueous extract stimulated rat, rabbit and dog uterus (oral 1–2.4 g/kg active within 20–60 min, lasting 8–24 h); pregnant uteri more sensitive; active principle water-soluble and nonvolatile.
- Antimicrobial: 15–30% decoction inhibited Trichophyton and other pathogenic fungi in vitro; at higher concentrations also Candida albicans, several bacteria and influenza virus.
- Antiproliferative: Magnosalin (neolignan from M. salicifolia flower) inhibited proliferation of synovial cells from MRL/l and C57BL/6J mice in vitro; proposed as an antirheumatic lead.
Source: Zhu YP. Chinese Materia Medica: Chemistry, Pharmacology and Applications. Harwood Academic, 1998, p. 76.
Relationships
Full-screen graph →Click a node for details · double-click to expand it · Ctrl/⌘ + scroll or two fingers to zoom and pan.
Botanical Description
Xin Yi, also called Xin Yi Hua, is the dried unopened flower bud of Magnolia biondii Pamp., Magnolia denudata Desr., or Magnolia sprengeri Pamp. (Magnoliaceae), all deciduous trees 5-25 m tall native to central and eastern China. The smooth gray bark surrounds a stout trunk; alternate, simple, obovate to elliptic leaves 10-18 cm long emerge after flowering. In late winter or early spring, before leaf flush, large solitary flower buds appear at the tips of the twigs, conical, 1.5-4 cm long, densely covered in long silky brown to silvery-white hairs, enclosing 6-12 fragrant white to pinkish tepals. The fragrant buds are collected just before opening, dried, and used in TCM as the principal herb for clearing nasal passages in rhinitis, sinusitis, and headache associated with wind-cold. The whorled tepals contain volatile oils dominated by 1,8-cineole, citral, and methyl chavicol.
Active Constituents
Magnolin
Tetrahydrofurofuran (furofuranoid) lignanOne of the principal lignans of the dried flower bud and a routine chromatographic marker for the drug. It is among the Flos Magnoliae lignans that antagonise the platelet-activating factor (PAF) receptor in binding assays, and it contributes to the anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic activity attributed to the bud.
Fargesin
Tetrahydrofurofuran (furofuranoid) lignanThe most pharmacologically characterised lignan of the bud. It blocks the ORAI1 store-operated calcium channel, which underlies its anti-allergic effect on mast cells and T lymphocytes. It is also the constituent responsible for the herb's cytochrome P450 liability: in human liver microsomes it is a mechanism-based inhibitor of CYP3A4 and a competitive inhibitor of CYP2C9.
Epimagnolin A
Tetrahydrofurofuran (furofuranoid) lignanA co-occurring bud lignan. In human liver microsomes it inhibits UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 and 1A3, alongside eudesmin, fargesin, magnolin and yangambin.
Eudesmin
Tetrahydrofurofuran (furofuranoid) lignanA minor bud lignan reported together with magnolin and fargesin. Like the other furofuranoid lignans of this drug it shows UGT1A1/1A3 inhibition in vitro.
Dimethyllirioresinol
Tetrahydrofurofuran (furofuranoid) lignanA minor lignan of the flower bud; included in the human liver microsome panel that characterised the CYP-inhibitory profile of this herb's lignans.
1,8-Cineole (eucalyptol)
Monoterpene ether (volatile oil)Concentration: a dominant peak in reported GC-MS profiles of the volatile oil, but the proportion varies widely between samples and provenances
A major volatile-oil component of the bud. Terpenoids make up the great majority of the essential oil, and this fraction carries the decongestant, antimicrobial and local anti-inflammatory actions on which the herb's use in rhinitis and sinusitis rests.
Linalool
Acyclic monoterpene alcohol (volatile oil)Another dominant volatile-oil constituent reported in Magnolia biondii bud oil, contributing to its antimicrobial and antioxidant activity.
alpha-Pinene
Bicyclic monoterpene hydrocarbon (volatile oil)A characteristic terpene hydrocarbon of the bud oil, present alongside beta-pinene, sabinene, myrcene and camphor.
Parthenolide
Germacranolide sesquiterpene lactoneIsolated from Magnolia biondii flower buds during chemical characterisation of the drug. Parthenolide is a well-known NF-kappaB inhibitor and a recognised contact allergen in other plant sources, which is worth noting for topical or nasal preparations.
⚠ Drug Interactions
CYP3A4 substrates (e.g. midazolam, simvastatin, tacrolimus, ciclosporin)
In human liver microsomes, fargesin is a mechanism-based (time-dependent, irreversible) inhibitor of CYP3A4-catalysed midazolam 1'-hydroxylation, with a reported Ki of 23.0 microM and kinact of 0.050 min-1. Fargesin also showed time-dependent inhibition of CYP2C8 and CYP2C19. Magnolin, by contrast, showed no reversible or time-dependent inhibition of eight major CYP activities at 100 microM, so the liability tracks fargesin rather than the herb's marker lignan. No human pharmacokinetic interaction study has been published, and it is not established that ordinary decoction doses reach inhibitory concentrations in the liver.
Clinical note: Treat as an in-vitro signal, not a proven clinical interaction. Exercise caution when Xin Yi is taken long-term alongside a narrow-therapeutic-index CYP3A4 substrate such as tacrolimus or ciclosporin, and monitor drug levels as you would for any concurrent herbal product.
CYP2C9 substrates (e.g. warfarin, phenytoin, glibenclamide)
Fargesin acts as a competitive inhibitor of CYP2C9 in human liver microsomes. This is an isolated in-vitro finding on a single constituent; no clinical case reports or interaction studies exist for Flos Magnoliae.
Clinical note: No specific action required, but if a patient on warfarin starts a long course of a Xin Yi-containing formula, check INR at the usual herb-introduction interval.
UGT1A1 substrates (e.g. irinotecan/SN-38, raltegravir)
Eudesmin, fargesin, epimagnolin A, magnolin and yangambin all inhibited UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 and 1A3 activities in human liver microsomes. This is a microsomal observation only; no in-vivo or clinical data support a real interaction.
Clinical note: Not a reason to withhold the herb. Mentioned for completeness in oncology settings where UGT1A1 handling of SN-38 is already a dosing concern.
Antiplatelet and anticoagulant drugs (e.g. aspirin, clopidogrel, warfarin)
Lignans isolated from Magnolia biondii were shown to antagonise the platelet-activating factor receptor in a radioligand binding assay. PAF antagonism is not the same as clinical antiplatelet activity, and no bleeding events attributable to Xin Yi have been reported.
Clinical note: No monitoring change is warranted on this evidence alone; note it only if the patient is on dual antiplatelet therapy and reports unusual bruising.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction (pre-decocted / bagged) | 3–10 g | Daily | — | — | 中国药典 2020 monograph 【辛夷】【用法与用量】3～10g,包煎。外用适量。 【性味与归经】辛，温。归肺、胃经。 — Matched by hand: Magnolia biondii is a ChP source species of 辛夷; 辛夷花 is the same drug under its colloquial name. Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2020, quoted verbatim. |
Dui Yao — Herb Pairs
The classical two-herb combinations this herb appears in, each with an action neither herb has alone.
Together they dispel wind and open the nasal passages, relieving nasal congestion and discharge.
Nasal obstruction with turbid discharge and frontal headache. Cang Er Zi is toxic in excess.
Core pair of a classical formula — Cang Er Zi San, Ji Sheng Fang (Yan Yonghe)
Evidence Tier
Moderate evidence · 6 studiesRecorded studies by study design, strongest design at the top. This is a study-design tier only, not a GRADE rating: it does not weigh risk of bias, consistency or precision.
Systematic review / meta-analysis
0
Randomized controlled trial
0
Other clinical trial
0
Observational / case report
0
In vitro / animal
6
2 verified · 4 unverified
Show 6 studies
- Flos magnoliae constituent fargesin has an anti-allergic effect via ORAI1 channel inhibition
- New furofuran and tetrahydrofuran lignans from the flower buds of Magnolia biondii Pamp and their antiallergic effects
- Inhibitory Effects of Dimethyllirioresinol, Epimagnolin A, Eudesmin, Fargesin, and Magnolin on Cytochrome P450 Enzyme Activities in Human Liver Microsomes
- Tetrahydrofurofuranoid Lignans, Eudesmin, Fargesin, Epimagnolin A, Magnolin, and Yangambin Inhibit UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 and 1A3 Activities in Human Liver Microsomes
- Volatile Oil of Magnolia biondii Pamp. for Transnasal Administration: Its Preparation, Characterization, and Mechanism of Action in the Treatment of Allergic Rhinitis
- Dual targeting of MEK1 and PDE4 by Total lignans from flower buds of Magnolia biondii Pamp. Alleviates atopic dermatitis
Other / unclassified
0
Verified: design read from PubMed for a DOI that resolves to the cited paper Unverified: taken from the study's recorded description
Clinical Studies
Flos magnoliae constituent fargesin has an anti-allergic effect via ORAI1 channel inhibition
Fargesin inhibited ORAI1 store-operated calcium entry in a concentration-dependent manner and thereby suppressed cytokine production in T lymphocytes and degranulation in mast cells, giving a specific ion-channel mechanism for the traditional use of the flower bud in allergic rhinitis.
New furofuran and tetrahydrofuran lignans from the flower buds of Magnolia biondii Pamp and their antiallergic effects
Isolated previously undescribed furofuran and tetrahydrofuran lignans from the flower buds and tested them for inhibition of mast-cell degranulation, supporting the lignan fraction (rather than the volatile oil alone) as an anti-allergic principle.
Inhibitory Effects of Dimethyllirioresinol, Epimagnolin A, Eudesmin, Fargesin, and Magnolin on Cytochrome P450 Enzyme Activities in Human Liver Microsomes
Screened five Flos Magnoliae lignans against eight major CYP isoforms in human liver microsomes. Fargesin was the only significant inhibitor: mechanism-based inhibition of CYP3A4 (Ki 23.0 microM, kinact 0.050 min-1), competitive inhibition of CYP2C9, and time-dependent inhibition of CYP2C8 and CYP2C19. Magnolin showed no inhibition at 100 microM.
Tetrahydrofurofuranoid Lignans, Eudesmin, Fargesin, Epimagnolin A, Magnolin, and Yangambin Inhibit UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 and 1A3 Activities in Human Liver Microsomes
All five furofuranoid lignans of the flower bud inhibited UGT1A1 and UGT1A3 in human liver microsomes, extending the herb's in-vitro metabolic-interaction profile from the CYP enzymes to phase II glucuronidation.
Volatile Oil of Magnolia biondii Pamp. for Transnasal Administration: Its Preparation, Characterization, and Mechanism of Action in the Treatment of Allergic Rhinitis
Formulated the bud volatile oil as a microemulsion for nasal delivery and tested it in an allergic rhinitis animal model, reporting improved delivery characteristics and reduced inflammatory cytokines with PPAR and NF-kappaB pathway involvement.
Dual targeting of MEK1 and PDE4 by Total lignans from flower buds of Magnolia biondii Pamp. Alleviates atopic dermatitis
The total lignan fraction of the flower bud alleviated atopic dermatitis in an animal model, with target deconvolution pointing to simultaneous inhibition of MEK1 (ERK signalling) and phosphodiesterase 4.
⚠ Safety & Contraindications
Contraindications
It has floss and is easy to stimulate throat, so it should be wrapped first for decocting. Its use is prohibited in patients with vigorous fire due to yin deficiency.
Source: Xi S, Gong Y. Essentials of Chinese Materia Medica and Medical Formulas. Academic Press/Elsevier, 2017, pp. 15–23.
Side Effects
- Intranasal essential oil may cause irritation or lacrimation.
Source: Zhu YP. Chinese Materia Medica: Chemistry, Pharmacology and Applications. Harwood Academic, 1998, p. 76.
Historical Texts
Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing
Han dynasty (c. 1st-2nd century CE)Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China
Modern (current edition)References
- Schuhly W, Skarbina J, Kunert O, Nandi OI, Bauer R. Chemical Characterization of Magnolia Biondii (Flos Magnoliae, Xin Yi) . Natural Product Communications (2009) [DOI]
- Shen Y, Li CG, Zhou SF, Pang ECK, Story DF, Xue CCL. Chemistry and Bioactivity of Flos Magnoliae, A Chinese Herb for Rhinitis and Sinusitis . Current Medicinal Chemistry (2008) [DOI]
- Yi J, Xiao S, Chen J, Chen X, Ma J. Pharmacological Potential and Molecular Targets of Tetrahydrofurofuranoid Lignans From Magnoliae Flos . Drug Design, Development and Therapy (2025) [DOI]
- Pan JX, Hensens OD, Zink DL, Chang MN, Hwang SB. Lignans with platelet activating factor antagonist activity from magnolia biondii . Phytochemistry (1987) [DOI]
- Li S, Jiao G, Ou P, Zhang X, Yu Y, Wang Y, Yao Q, Wang W. Phytochemical Characterization, Antioxidant Activity, and Anti-Melanoma Mechanism of Flower Buds of Magnolia biondii Pamp. . Plants (2025) [DOI]
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
📝 Notes
Public notes from the community and your own private notes on Xin Yi (Hua).
No notes yet.