- Region
- Asia
- Origin
- Asia (China, Russia, Korea, Japan)
Asia · Herb · № 592
Schisandra chinensis
Herb · Asia
Schisandra
Schisandra chinensis
Traditionally attributed effects: tonic, astringent, stimulating, adaptogen; supports exhausted adrenals (fatigue), promotes sleep and well-being, protects the liver.
Safety notes
Traditional use is no proof of effectiveness; if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or have a medical condition, consult a doctor or pharmacist.
Cautions by tradition (1)
- Chinese materia medica: Not with internal heat or an acute external disease.
Preparation
Decoction of the berries: 2 tsp per cup, 10–15 min covered, 1–3 cups a day; tincture 30 drops 1–3 times a day.
Use in traditions
Described in Western herbal medicine. Wu wei zi, 'five-flavour fruit', tastes sour, sweet, bitter, pungent and salty at once. It binds and nourishes in cough, night sweats and sleeplessness and is part of Sheng Mai San. In Korea omija tea is a popular drink; in Russia hunters ate the berry against fatigue.
Applications
Use by tradition
How different herbal traditions describe this herb. Amounts are traditional guidelines checked for obvious errors; they are not medical advice. For poisonous plants no dosage is given on purpose.
Western herbalism
Attributed effects
Tonic, astringent, stimulating, adaptogen; supports exhausted adrenals (fatigue), promotes sleep and well-being, protects the liver.
Preparation and amount
Decoction of the berries: 2 tsp per cup, 10–15 min covered, 1–3 cups a day; tincture 30 drops 1–3 times a day.
Chinese materia medica
- Nature and taste
- sour, warm (five tastes)
- Meridians
- lung, heart, kidney
Attributed effects
Wu wei zi retains essence in sweating, night sweats, seminal emission, discharge, involuntary urination and diarrhoea on waking, holds the lung qi in chronic (dry) cough, wheezing and asthma, replenishes body fluids and calms the mind in palpitations, forgetfulness, insomnia and restlessness.
Preparation and amount
Traditional dosage: 2–9 g a day, usually in a decoction. A little tangerine peel and licorice make the complex taste more pleasant. For schisandra wine, steep the ground berries for a few weeks in rice wine or vodka, a few centimetres above the sediment.
Combinations
- With dang shen or ginseng and huang qi as a qi tonic
Caution: Not with internal heat or an acute external disease.
- Ways to prepare herbs
- DecoctionTincturePowder and kitchen