Effect ofMagnolia officinalisandPhellodendron amurense(Relora^®) on cortisol and psychological mood state in moderately stressed subjects

Abstract

BackgroundMagnolia (Magnolia officinalis) and Phellodendron (Phellodendron amurense) barks are medicinal plants commonly used as traditional remedies for reducing stress and anxiety. Modern dietary supplements are intended to induce relaxation and reduce stress as well as stress-related eating. Previous studies have shown the combination of Magnolia/Phellodendron (MP) to reduce both cortisol exposure and the perception of stress/anxiety, while improving weight loss in subjects with stress-related eating. Competitive athletes are “stressed” by their intense exercise regimens in addition to their normal activities of daily living and thus may benefit from a natural therapy intended to modulate baseline perceptions of stress and stress hormone exposure.MethodsWe assessed salivary cortisol exposure and psychological mood state in 56 subjects (35 men and 21 women) screened for moderate stress and supplemented with a standardized/patented MP combination (Relora®, Next Pharmaceuticals) or Placebo for 4 weeks.ResultsAfter 4 weeks of supplementation, salivary cortisol exposure was significantly (p<0.05) lower (−18%) in the Relora group compared to Placebo. Compared to Placebo, the Relora group had significantly better (p<0.05) mood state parameters, including lower indices of Overall Stress (−11%), Tension (−13%), Depression (−20%), Anger (−42%), Fatigue (−31%), and Confusion (−27%), and higher indices of Global Mood State (+11%) and Vigor (+18%).ConclusionThese results indicate that daily supplementation with a combination of Magnolia bark extract and Phellodendron bark extract (Relora®) reduces cortisol exposure and perceived daily stress, while improving a variety of mood state parameters, including lower fatigue and higher vigor. These results suggest an effective natural approach to modulating the detrimental health effects of chronic stress in moderately stressed adults. Future studies should examine the possible performance and recovery benefits of Relora supplementation in athletes overstressed by the physical and psychological demands of training and competition.

Novel histone deacetylase inhibitors derived from Magnolia officinalis significantly enhance TRAIL-induced apoptosis in non-small cell lung cancer

“…HDACi, with comprehensive anti-tumor effectiveness, are currently undergoing clinical trials to treat several solid and hematologic cancers [1,17]. Various HDACi, such as TSA and romidepsin, are generally well tolerated by cancer patients [38,47]. However, some acute toxicities and side effects, such as transient cytopenias, fatigue, and gastrointestinal upset, are still inevitable in clinical treatment after their long-term usage [17].…”

“…Thus, multifunctional antitumor agents with tolerable toxicities would be promising strategies for chemotherapeutics. M. officinalis, an herbal medicine with antidepressant and anti-inflammatory effects, has been used for 2000 years in China to treat diarrhea, stroke, asthma, and anxiety [36][37][38]. PM, which is composed of phenolic compounds extracted from M. officinalis, elicits antitumor effects on many cancers [39,40].…”

GABA‐modulating phytomedicines for anxiety: A systematic review of preclinical and clinical evidence

“…However, to our knowledge no current human studies of the plant for anxiety to date, other than investigations within a herbal combination formula. Although combination formulas of various phytomedicines have demonstrated efficacy for reducing anxiety in humans (e.g., "Relora"; Talbott, Talbott, & Pugh, 2013), the extent to which the observed anxiolytic effects are due to individual components cannot be established. Further, it is recognised that formulas that combine multiple active ingredients may be synergistically more effective-acting through independent but complimentary pathways to confer maximal effects (Bourin, Bougerol, Guitton, & Broutin, 1997).…”

Extracting the Benefit of Nexrutine® for Cancer Prevention

“…It has also been shown to be useful for symptoms of osteoarthritis and shows potential as a neuroprotective agent in Alzheimer’s disease (40, 41). Relora® (Next Pharmaceuticals, Salinas CA) is a proprietary formulation of Phellodendron amurense bark extract standardized to berberine and is believed to reduce stress and anxiety (42). Using activity-guided fractionation of Nexrutine®, we found that butanol fraction (F3) recapitulates the anti-proliferative and NF-κB inhibitory activity of the extract.…”