Magnolia liliflora, Magnolia wilsonii. M. biondii, M. sprengeri  辛 夷 花 Xīn yí huā   Mulan Magnolia   Family: Magnoliaceae       
PART USED: Buds- harvested in early Spring before they open.
Nature: Warm, slightly warm     FLAVOR: Pungent, acrid  CHANNEL: Lung, Stomach
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Exterior Clearing- Warming
1. Disperse Wind Cold, relieve nasal congestion.[3,4] Scatters Wind, opens orifices- especially the nose. Stops headache.[3] Nasal mucus- opens orifices- especially nose.[3]
2. Dispels Wind-Heat fever, alleviates pain by controlling the Wind.[1]
ACTIONS
INDICATIONS- Main herb for sinusitis.[3]
1. Nasal congestion caused by Wind Cold.[4] Headache.[1,3] Rhinitis.[1] Sinusitis. Chronic nasal obstruction.[3] Acute nasal infection.[3] Nasal discharge.[4] Loss of sense of smell.[4]
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Usage should be stopped if side effects of headache, fainting and red eyes appear.[3] Yin Deficiency Heat.[4] Over dosage may cause dizziness or redness of the eyes.[4]
PATENT COMBINATIONS- While primarily used for problems due to Wind Cold, it can also be used for any nasal or sinus condition- depending on other herbs in the prescription.[4]
- External Wind Cold or invasion of Damp Heat with Lung Qi deficiency: Releases exterior Wind-Cold, unblocks the nasal passages, alleviates sinus pain. Clears Damp Heat in the Lung Magnolia Flower Combination- Magnolia Flower Combination- Xin yi san
COMBINATIONS
PREPARATIONS: Decoction buds  3-6 g.[3] Use a small dose if nose attacked by Wind.[3]
 2.5-4 g.[1] 3-9 g.[2,4] For external use, a suitable amount may be crushed for use as plugs for nose.[1,3] The hairy texture of the herb may cause irritation of the throat. It should therefore either be rubbed with a cotton cloth or place in a cheesecloth bage before decotion.[4] Good quality has dry, green buds that have not opened, and is without stems or branches.[4]

DESCRIPTION: It is a deciduous shrub, exceptionally a small tree, to 4m tall (smaller than most other magnolias), and blooms profusely in early spring with large pink to purple showy flowers, before the leaf buds open.
References
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Constituents
Research

A very well written PhD on Xin yi hua by Ye Shen-
STUDY ON A CHINESE HERB FLOS MAGNOLIAE (XIN YI)– IDENTIFICATION AND PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIONS

Traditional Chinese medicine, Xin-yi-san, reduces nasal symptoms of patients with perennial allergic rhinitis by its diverse immunomodulatory effects.
Yang SH, Yu CL, Chen YL, Chiao SL, Chen ML.
Author information
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Perennial allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common health problem with a high prevalence rate of 43.6% in Taiwan. In our previous study, a mixed formula of Chinese herbs consisted of Xin-yi-san, Xiao-ging-long-tang, and Xiang-sha-liu-jun-zi-tang, exerted diverse immunomodulatory effects in the treatment of patients with perennial allergic rhinitis.
OBJECTIVE:
The aim of the present study was to determine whether Xin-yi-san (XYS) alone is effective in the treatment of AR and tried to explore its molecular mechanism of anti-allergic activity.
METHODS:
In a randomized double-blind study, 108 patients with AR received either XYS or a placebo for 3 months. The effectiveness of XYS was evaluated by nasal symptoms, nasal airflow resistance, nostril dissection area, and serum titer of specific IgE antibodies against house dust mite allergens. In addition, the production of T helper (Th) 1 (represented by interferon-gamma) and Th2 [represented by interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10, and IL-13] cytokines, the proinflammatory cytokine IL-8, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule (sICAM), and arachidonate metabolites prostagladin E(2) (PGE(2)) and leukotriene C(4) (LTC(4)) by polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) were compared before and after treatment between the two groups.
RESULTS:
XYS attenuated nasal symptoms (sneezing and rhinorrhea) and nasal congestion through reduction of nasal airflow resistance and increase in nostril dissection areas. We also found that XYS exerted diverse immunomodulatory effects, including suppression of serum IgE levels and increased production of IL-10, sICAM-1, and IL-8 compared to placebo group. However, XYS treatment did not affect the release of PGE(2) and LTC(4) from PMNs.
CONCLUSIONS:
This study originally provides the evidence that Xin-yi-san alone is an effective herb in the treatment of perennial allergic rhinitis.
Int Immunopharmacol. 2010 Aug;10(8):951-8. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2010.05.008. Epub 2010 May 28.