Magnolol is an organic compound that is classified as lignan. It is a bioactive compoundfound in the bark of the Houpu magnolia (Magnolia officinalis) and in M. grandiflora.[2] The compound exists at the level of a few percent in the bark of species of magnolia, the extracts of which have been used in traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine. In addition to magnolol, related lignans occur in the extracts including honokiol, which is an isomer of magnolol.
Bioactivity
It is known to act on the GABAA receptors in rat cells in vitro[3] as well as having antifungal properties.[4] Magnolol has a number of osteoblast-stimulating and osteoclast-inhibiting activities in cell culture and has been suggested as a candidate for screening for anti-osteoporosis activity.[5] It has anti-periodontal disease activity in a rat model.[6] Structural analogues have been studied and found to be strong allosteric modulators of GABAA.[7]
Magnolol is also binding in dimeric mode to PPARγ, acting as an agonist of this nuclear receptor.[8]
^Lee, Young-Jung; Lee, Yoot Mo; Lee, Chong-Kil; Jung, Jae Kyung; Han, Sang Bae; Hong, Jin Tae (2011). "Therapeutic applications of compounds in the Magnolia family". Pharmacology & Therapeutics. 130 (2): 157–76. doi:10.1016/j.pharmthera.2011.01.010. PMID21277893.
^Ai, Jinglu; Wang, Xiaomei; Nielsen, Mogens (2001). "Honokiol and Magnolol Selectively Interact with GABAA Receptor Subtypes in vitro". Pharmacology. 63 (1): 34–41. doi:10.1159/000056110. PMID11408830. S2CID19327464.
^Bang, Kyu Ho; Kim, Yoon Kwan; Min, Byung Sun; Na, Min Kyun; Rhee, Young Ha; Lee, Jong Pill; Bae, Ki Hwan (2000). "Antifungal activity of magnolol and honokiol". Archives of Pharmacal Research. 23 (1): 46–9. doi:10.1007/BF02976465. PMID10728656. S2CID22754315.
Squires, Richard F.; Ai, Jinglu; Witt, Michael-Robin; Kahnberg, Pia; Saederup, Else; Sterner, Olov; Nielsen, Mogens (1999). "Honokiol and magnolol increase the number of 3H muscimol binding sites three-fold in rat forebrain membranes in vitro using a filtration assay, by allosterically increasing the affinities of low-affinity sites". Neurochemical Research. 24 (12): 1593–602. doi:10.1023/A:1021116502548. PMID10591411. S2CID9070185.