| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body Weight Management A small pilot RCT (Garrison & Chambliss 2006, n=28 completers) of Relora (Magnolia + Phellodendron combination) found the treatment group maintained weight while placebo gained 1.5 kg over 6 weeks. In a separate OA study (Oben et al. 2009), the Phellodendron + Citrus combination produced 5.1% weight loss in overweight subjects (p<0.001). Both used combination products, limiting attribution to Phellodendron alone. | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 1 study | 73 people | ||
Studies that measured body weight management | ||||||
Supplement
Phellodendron amurense is the Amur cork tree, whose bark is used in traditional herbal medicine and contains plant compounds that influence inflammation. People mostly look at it for joint health, and in a small eight-week pilot trial, osteoarthritis symptoms eased with a Phellodendron and citrus combination, though the evidence is limited. Other support comes mostly from animal or lab studies.
Sources: PMID 19682376
- Updated
- How we grade
- 5 studies cited
- Best evidence
- Grade C
- Conditions studied
- 3
- Outcomes
- 6
- Graded outcomes
- 0024
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osteoarthritis Symptoms A pilot double-blind RCT (Oben et al. 2009, n=45 completers) of Phellodendron + Citrus sinensis extract showed significant improvement in Lequesne Algofunctional Index scores at 8 weeks (p<0.0001) and 49% CRP reduction in overweight subjects (p<0.001). In vitro studies demonstrate Phellodendron amurense inhibits IL-1α-induced cartilage degradation and suppresses MMP-1, -3, -13 in human osteoarthritic chondrocytes. | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 3 studies | 45 people | ||
Studies that measured osteoarthritis symptoms
| ||||||
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stress and Anxiety Two RCTs of Relora (Magnolia officinalis + Phellodendron amurense combination) in moderately stressed adults found significant reductions in perceived stress and anxiety. Talbott et al. (2013, n=56) reported −11% overall stress and improved global mood (p<0.05); Kalman et al. (2008, n=26 completers) found significant reduction in state anxiety (p=0.045). Effects are from combination products, not Phellodendron alone. | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 105 people |
General
- Inflammation: improves
- Anti-tumor Activity: improves
- Cortisol Levels: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inflammation In animal models of collagen-induced arthritis, Phellodendron root extract (50-100 mg/kg) significantly decreased arthritic scores and serum TNF-α, IL-17, and PGE2, comparable to meloxicam. In vitro studies show COX-2 inhibition and suppression of inflammatory signaling pathways (MAPK, NF-κB). One human combination study showed 49% CRP reduction, but isolated Phellodendron data in humans is lacking. | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 3 studies | |||
Studies that measured inflammation
| ||||||
| Anti-tumor Activity Multiple preclinical studies show Phellodendron amurense extract (Nexrutine) inhibits tumor growth in lung, prostate, skin, and colon cancer models via G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction. In A549 xenograft mice, tumors grew to 6.4 mm³ vs 58.9 mm³ in controls (p<0.001). A Phase I tolerability study in 21 prostate cancer patients found the extract well-tolerated at 1500 mg/day with 81% showing PSA decline, but the study was not designed to evaluate efficacy. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 2 studies | 21 people | ||
| Cortisol Levels Mixed results from Relora (Magnolia + Phellodendron) combination studies. Talbott et al. (2013) found −18% salivary cortisol exposure (p<0.05) vs placebo after 4 weeks. However, Kalman et al. (2008) found no significant cortisol difference between groups despite a trend toward reduction. Results are from combination products with inconsistent findings. | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 105 people | |||
Body Composition
- Body Weight Management: improves
Key findings
- Osteoarthritis SymptomsImproves (the measure goes down)
- Stress and AnxietyImproves (the measure goes down)
- InflammationImproves (the measure goes down)
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- Grade C
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Studies cited
5 studies from PubMed
- Inhibitory effect of the extract of Phellodendron amurense Ruprecht root on collagen-induced arthritis in mice
- Tolerance of Phellodendron amurense bark extract (Nexrutine®) in patients with human prostate cancer
- Effect of Phellodendron amurense in protecting human osteoarthritic cartilage and chondrocytes
- Dietary administration of berberine or Phellodendron amurense extract inhibits cell cycle progression and lung tumorigenesis
- Phellodendron and Citrus extracts benefit joint health in osteoarthritis patients: a pilot, double-blind, placebo-controlled study