Referred to as “the beauty berry of the Orient”, Schisandra is a staple in the traditional pharmacopoeias of East Asia and Russia. The Mandarin name, Wu Wei Zi, means the “five-flavoured fruit”. This speaks to its unique flavour, which starts sour and develops further into sweet, salty, bitter and warming. It was described as a “superior herb” in the first-century herbal compendium, the Divine Husbandman’s Classic of the Materia Medica, due to the belief that it could "prolong life without aging”, increase Qi, and combat fatigue.
In Western herbal medicine it is considered an amphoteric herb, which is said to bring a harmonising balance within the organ or body systems. This means that the herb is capable of acting in ways which may seem opposite or contradictory, depending on what is needed. An example of this may is Schisandra’s capacity to promote rest and relaxation in a stressed or over-stimulated individual, while also raising energy levels and mental performance in an exhausted individual.
Traditional uses:
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In Western herbal medicine:
To provide relief from stress and over-stimulation
As an adaptogenic herb to reduce the effects of stress
To promote healthy liver function
To promote relaxation and feelings of wellbeing
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In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM):