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Schisandra chinensis is a deciduous woody vine native to forests of Northern China, Korea and the Russian Far East. Its Chinese name comes from the fact that its berries possess all five basic flavors: salty, sweet, sour, pungent (spicy), and bitter. Sometimes it is more specifically called northern five flavor berry to distinguish it from another traditionally medicinal schisandraceous plant Kadsura japonica that grows only in subtropical areas, it is more specifically called The plant likes some shade with moist, well-drained soil. The species itself is dioecious, thus flowers on a female plant will only produce fruit when fertilized with pollen from a male plant.
Schisandra fruits (berries), which are the small, red, dried, ripe fruits of Schisandra chinensis, are used in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is considered one of the 50 fundamental herbs. The fruit is harvested in autumn, and then steamed before being dried in the sun.
In traditional Chinese medicine, Schisandra fruit (berry) is classified as an adaptogen, an herb that regulates and normalizes the functions of the body and increases its resistance to stress. The active ingredients in schizandra include substances called schizandrins as well as vitamins C and E. Schizandrins have been found to act as tonics for the liver, lungs and kidneys while balancing the immune system, normalizing nervous system function and aiding digestion. Schizandra has also been shown to have anti-oxidants, anti-bacterial and anti-depressant properties. It is believed to:
1. Astringe Lung Qi and nourish the Kidneys
2. Restrain the essence and stop Diarrhea--astringent Kidneys
3. Arrest excessive sweating from Yin or Yang deficiency
4. Calm the Spirit by tonification of Heart and Kidney
5. Generate body fluids and alleviate thirst
In Chinese Medicine, Schisandra berry is used mainly for conditions of the digestive tract such as intestinal inflammation, and also for insomnia, enuresis, pollakisuria, nightly ejaculation, coughs, chronic diarrhea, dyspnea, insomnia, spontaneous outbreaks of sweating, hepatitis, neurasthenia and anxiety states. In Russia, schizandrin is a registered medicine for problems with vision, since the herb has been found to prevent eye fatigue and increase visual acuity. It also assists in the body’s detoxification process after the use of alcohol, Cigarettes and other drugs.
In traditional Chinese medicine, they are most often used in dried form, and boiled to make a tea. Medicinally it is used as a tonic and restorative adaptogen with notable clinically documented liver protecting effects.