Schizandra

Schizandra, also spelled Schisandra, is also known by the names Magnolia Vine and Fruit Of Five Flavours. Schizandra is a woody vine with numerous clusters of tiny, bright red berries. It is found throughout northern and northeast China and the adjacent regions of Russia and Korea. The fully ripe, sun-dried fruit is used medicinally. It has sour, sweet, salty, hot, and bitter tastes. This unusual combination of flavours is reflected in Schizandra’s Chinese name "wu-wei-zi", meaning “five taste fruit". In China, Schizandra is also used to increase "the water of the genitals" referring to its use in nourishing sexual fluids. It is also said to "calm the heart and quieten the spirit".
Long-term use helps to beautify the skin. It helps to build "wei chi", the defense energy of the body, so one is better able to resist infection. Schizandra is listed among China's most important herbs. Chinese herbal medicine described Schizandra as a high-grade herbal drug useful for a wide variety of medical conditions - especially as a kidney tonic and lung astringent. Chinese herbalists still use Schizandra for coughs, night sweats, insomnia, thirst, and physical exhaustion.
Schizandra is currently popular worldwide as a tonic, and in Asia as a food source. Schizandra Berry helps the body adapt to stress and nourishes the nervous system. Modern Chinese research suggests that lignans in Schizandra regenerate liver tissue damaged by harmful influences such as viral hepatitis and alcohol. Lignans lower blood levels of serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), a marker for infective hepatitis and other liver disorders. Schizandra fruit may also have an adaptogenic action, much like the herb Ginseng, but with weaker effects. Laboratory work suggests that Schizandra may improve work performance, build strength, and help to reduce fatigue. It is also used as a mild sedative. Using the berries internally helps the body to better utilize oxygen, thereby improving human endurance. In China, a few berries are chewed daily for 100 days in a row as a tonic to improve coordination and concentration. In treatment for hepatitis, it has shown a 76% success rate without harmful side effects. The primary chemical constituents of this herb include:

• Sesquicarene
• Lignans (Schizandrin, Gomisin)
• Schizoandrol
• Citral
• Phytosterols (Stigmasterol, Beta-Sitosterol)
• Vitamins C and E

Schizandra contains a number of compounds, including essential oils, numerous acids, and lignans. Lignans (schizandrin, deoxyschizandrin, gomisins, and pregomisin) are found in the seeds of the fruit and have a number of medicinal actions. The common name Schizandra includes the species Schisandra fructus, which is used interchangeably with Schisandra chinensis.