Scientific Name/Common Name: Schisandra chinensis / Schisandra
Part(s) Used: Berry
Constituents/Active Ingredients: A variety of lignans: schisandrin, schisandrin B, gomisin A, schisantherin A and B, the sequiterpene bisabolene.
Overview: Schisandra berries come from a flowering shrub, native to Asia and North America. The Chinese name for the berries translates to “five flavour fruit” as it includes the five basic tastes of salty, sweet, bitter, sour, and spicy. It has long been a prized remedy in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is considered an adaptogen: an herb that helps support the mind and body to better adapt to stress. In clinical trials, Schisandra fruit has been found to improve concentration and cognitive performance. It has also been successfully used in combination with Rhodiola and Siberian ginseng in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of women in stressful situations and found to improve attention, as well as speed and accuracy on cognitive tasks.
Traditional Use/Benefits/Body Systems: Traditionally used for cough, to protect the liver, for night sweats, frequent urination, weakness and debility, and recovery after illness.
Clinical Studies/Scientific Research/References: Upton R, ed. Schisandra Berry: Analytical, quality control, and therapeutic monograph. Santa Cruz, CA: American Herbal Pharmacopoeia 1999;1-25. Aslanyan G, Amroyan E, Gabrielyan E, et al. Double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised study of single dose effects of ADAPT-232 on cognitive functions. Phytomedicine 2010;17:494-9. Xu XM, Li L, Chen M., "Studies on the chemical constituents of Schisandra pubescens". Zhong Yao Cai. 2009 Sep;32(9):1399-401
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