Schisandra chinensis

In East Asia, there is a 2000-year tradition of use for schisandra fruit as an adaptogen. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the Schisandra berry is considered the most effective natural remedy. Mostly the fruits are not used monotherapeutically but as a mixture with other drugs in formulations. In Europe there are no official monographs for Schisandra chinensis, the Chinese split berry, but there are in Chinese and Japanese pharmacopoeias. The Chinese pharmacopoeia records the dried, ripe fruits of two botanical species (Schisandra chinensis and Schisandra sphenanthera) under the common name "Wuweizi".

Schisandra chinensis contains mainly lignans such as Schisandrol A (syn: Gomisin A, Schizandrol A) Schisantherin A, Deoxyschisandrin, Schisandrin B, and Schisandrin C. Furthermore versch. Polysaccharides with immunostimulating effect, essential oil.

Extracts of Schisandra chinensis have antioxidant, radical scavenging and immunostimulating effects. Hepatoprotective effects have been demonstrated in animal experiments. Several positive oncological studies indicate an effect on cell division and apoptosis .

There is little evidence of improved concentration and cognitive performance. There is insufficient evidence for applications as a neuroleptic and anticonvulsant, sex tonic, in indications such as Parkinson's disease, fibromyalgia and diabetes.

Recommended is 1.5 to 3 g drug (Schisandra powder)/day p.o.

Schisandra chinensis is one of the few adaptogens that meet the criteria of the EMA for this group of active ingredients: Eleutherococcus senticosus (taiga root), Ginseng Radix (ginseng root), Rhodiola rosea radix (rose root).

1. Chen Y et al (2012) An immunostimulatory polysaccharides (SCP-IIa) from the fruit of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. Int J Biol Macromol 50:844-848.
2. Cheng Z et al (2014) Two-steps extraction of essential oil, polysaccharides and biphenyl cyclooctene lignans from Schisandra chinensis Baill fruits. J Pharm Biomed Anal 96:162-169.
3. Hager's Manual of Pharmaceutical Practice (1994) p. 646.
4. Ip S P et al (2001) Effects of schisandrin B pretreatment on tumor necrosis factor-alpha induced apoptosis and Hsp70 expression in mouse liver. Cell Stress Chaperones 6: 44-48.
5. Ko K M et al (2002) Protection against carbon tetrachloride liver toxicity by enantiomers of schisandrin B associated with differential changes in hepatic glutathione antioxidant system in mice. Pharm Biol 40: 298-301.
6. Lee IS et al (1999) Structure-activity relationships of lignans from Schisandra chinensis as platelet activating factor antagonists. Biol Pharm Bull 22: 265-267.
7. Qu HM et al (2014) Antitumor and antiangiogenic activity of Schisandra chinensis polysaccharides in a renal cell carcinoma model. Int J Biol Macromol 66:52-56.
8. Wang N et al (2002) Sheng-Mai-San is protective against post-ischemic myocardial dysfunction in rats through its opening of the mitochondrial KATP channels. Circ J 66: 763-768.
9. Yan F et al (2009) Synergistic hepatoprotective effect of Schisandrae lignans with Astragalus polysaccharides on chronic liver injury in rats. Phytomedicine 16:805-813.