Schisandra is classified as an adaptogen, used for boosting health and combating a myriad of illnesses. Its fruit is known as "five flavor fruit" or "magnolia berry" and is described as sweet, salty, bitter, pungent, and sour. A potent tonic, Schisandra has been used for hundreds of years to improve endurance in physical activity, decreasing fatigue and enhancing performance. The berry itself contains lignans which have shown estrogenic and anticancer effects. It bolsters the body's defenses against disease
Source: Japan, Korea, China and Russia
Benefits:
Stress Reduction: Helps body maintain homeostasis. Contributes to both mental and physical calmness. Combats adrenal fatigue and balances adrenaline levels
Liver Protection: Reduces and prevents damage to liver and regulates liver function through its antioxidant properties. Also increases the powerful anti-aging antioxidant L-glutathione which mitigates and combats stress
Heart Health: Increases blood flow and nitric oxide availability which benefits the cardiovascular system
Immune Booster: Being an adaptogen, Schisandra mitigates the effects of stress and allows the immune system to perform properly, speeding up healing following surgery
Respiratory System: Schisandra is an expectorant, acting to clear mucous from the lungs and airways
Anti-Inflammatory: Schisandra is very high in antioxidants which help fight free radical damage and lower inflammation. The secondary effects of its antioxidants properties protect the arteries from hardening, regulating blood sugar, preventing diabetes and naturally regulating the body’s pH. It can also help protect against the damage from some anti-cancer drugs
Kidney Function: The Schisandra herb has been used as a kidney tonic in China for centuries. In Ayurvedic medicine, it is said to enter all 12 meridians of the body, benefiting the heart, kidneys, liver and lungs
Risks: High doses or sensitivity can cause gastric sensitivity, indigestion or skin rash. May also induce uterine muscle contraction so should be avoided by pregnant women
Sustainability: As this plant grows wild across the world and is also very easy to grow domestically, there are no issues with supplying high quality Schisandra berries
Processing: The plant prefers a cool climate and is rather easy to grow. The berries of the plant are what get used for medicaments. As a berry-bearing plant, the vine herb grows best on trellis that is then easy to harvest when they ripen in late summer or early fall
Resources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20374974 - Effects on cognitive functions
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17127021 - Sedative effects of Schisandra
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22792122 - Antioxidant benefits
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22610748 - Liver function improvement
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21757327 - Anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) effects
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17127021 - For insomnia
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17705144 - Benefits on memory