Schizandra (Schisandra chinensis)

Schisandra is a plant. The fruit is used as food and also to make medicine.

Schisandra is used as an "adaptogen" for increasing resistance to disease and stress, increasing energy, and increasing physical performance and endurance.

Schisandra is also used for preventing early aging and increasing lifespan, normalizing blood sugar and blood pressure, stimulating the immune system, and speeding recovery after surgery.

It is also used for treating liver disease (hepatitis) and protecting the liver from poisons. The Chinese have developed a liver-protecting drug called DBD that is made from schizandrin, one of the chemicals in schisandra.

Other uses for schisandra include treatment of high cholesterol, pneumonia, coughs, asthma, sleep problems (insomnia), tiredness and irritability associated with emotional disturbance (neurasthenia), premenstrual syndrome (PMS), chronic diarrhea, dysentery, night sweats, spontaneous sweating, involuntary discharge of semen, thirst, erectile dysfunction (ED), physical exhaustion, excessive urination, depression, irritability, and memory loss. It is also used in children to reduce the frequency and severity of attacks of fever associated with an inherited disease called familial Mediterranean fever.

Some people use schisandra for improving vision ad muscular activity, protecting against radiation, preventing motion sickness, preventing infection, boosting energy at the cellular level, and improving the health of the adrenal glands. Schisandra fruit is eaten as a food.

How does it work?

The chemicals in schisandra improve liver function by stimulating enzymes (proteins that speed up biochemical reactions) in the liver and promoting liver cell growth. Chemicals in schisandra may also help the body have more energy, resulting in improved endurance and coordination.

Mental performance.
Liver disease (hepatitis).
Exercise performance.
Inherited fever disorder (Familial Mediterranean fever).
Nearsightedness.
Pneumonia.
Toxicity due to the drug tacrolimus.
Diabetes.
High blood pressure.
Preventing motion sickness.
Preventing premature aging.

By mouth

For hepatitis: Schisandra extract standardized to 20 mg lignan content (equivalent to 1.5 grams crude schisandra) given daily.

For improving mental performance: 500 mg to 2 grams of schisandra extract daily or 1.5-6 grams of crude schisandra daily has been used. Also, 5-15 grams daily of a boiled tea made from crude schisandra has also been used. A specific combination product (ADAPT-232 by Swedish Herbal Institute) containing a 270 mg mixture of rhodiola, schisandra, and Siberian ginseng has been taken as a single dose.

Schisandra fruit is SAFE when taken by mouth appropriately. It can cause heartburn, upset stomach, decreased appetite, stomach pain, skin rash, and itching.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Schisandra is POSSIBLY UNSAFE when taken by mouth during pregnancy. There is some evidence that it might cause the uterus to contract, and this might lead to miscarriage. Do not use schisandra during pregnancy. There is not enough reliable information about the safety of taking schisandra during breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Epilepsy: At least one expert warns against using schisandra if you have epilepsy. The reason for this warning is not clear, but it may be due to a concern that schisandra could possibly stimulate the central nervous system.

Gastroesophageal reflex disease (GERD) or peptic ulcers: Schisandra might make these conditions worse by increasing stomach acid.

High brain (intracranial) pressure: There is a concern that schisandra might make this condition worse because it could possibly stimulate the central nervous system.