Schizendra Berries 50 g, 25 g

Schizendra Berries – 50 g ($12.99), 25 g ($8.99)

Benefits:

Schizendrais now a recognized adaptogen—a substance capable of increasing the body’s resistance to disease and stress. Chinese medicine uses it for digestion issues such as intestinal inflammation, insomnia, urinary frequency, cough, chronic diarrhea, profuse sweating, and hepatitis. It is said to balance body functions, improve mental function, increase stamina and physical performance, and energize RNA and DNA molecules to rebuild cells. Some reports show that it may lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, but Schizendra is not typically used for these purposes.

Schizendra is also one of the most useful herbs from the herbal traditions of Asia for the treatment of liver diseases. Because it stimulates the central nervous system to maintain breathing, Schizendra has been used as an antidote to morphine overdose. It also increases visual acuity and field of vision, as well as tactile sensitivity.

Cancer. Schizendra protects the heart muscle during cancer chemotherapy treatment with doxorubicin (Adriamycin, Rubex), but it does not interfere with doxorubicin’s action on cancer cells. A subfraction (or bioactive chemical) of Schizendra, gomisin A, was shown to have anticarcinogenic effects in rat livers. Some researchers have suggested that gomisin A has inhibitory effects on liver cancer in animals and may be useful for liver cancer in humans someday. In one study, women being treated with chemotherapy for ovarian cancer experienced improved immunity from a product that contained Schizendra (AdMax).

Diseases of the liver and hepatitis. Schizendra protects the liver from chemical damage, particularly damage from chemicals that have to be activated by the liver to become poisonous, such as carbon tetrachloride. Laboratory studies show that Schizendra extracts increase the liver’s ability to make the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, which deactivates several kinds of toxic free radicals that attack the outer membranes of liver cells. Glutathione peroxidase also helps offset damage done to the liver by chronic viral hepatitis and HIV/AIDS. Schizendra contains lignin compounds that lower high levels of serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) in the blood, which is an indication of hepatitis.

Schizendra’s chemical constituent gomisin A blocks the production of the fatty acid arachidonic acid, which is a building block of inflammation-inducing leukotrienes. By blocking the production of arachidonic acid, gomisin A prevents liver inflammation and tissue destruction, and does so without severely compromising the immune system’s capacity to respond to the underlying infection. Gomisin A also stimulates liver regeneration. Animal studies show that it stimulates the growth of healthy liver tissue by increasing the production of ornithine decarboxylase, an enzyme critical to protein synthesis in the early stages of tissue recovery. Gomisin A makes Schizendra useful in hastening recovery from liver surgery.

Cardiomyopathy. Schizendra has been shown to improve cardiac function when facing cardiomyopathy when used with digoxin. In one study, symptoms of the disease were lessened and there were no side effects when participants used digoxin plus Schizendra in a product called Sheng Mei.

Insomnia, restless legs syndrome, stress, depression, fatigue, and excessive sweating. Schizandrin, gamma-schizandrin, deoxyschizandrin, and schizandra are active compounds in Schizendra that help to relieve emotional and physical depression and reverse depression of the central nervous system. Animal studies have found that schisandra increases sleeping time when used with the sleep-inducing drug phenobarbital. Schisandra also increases the effectiveness of benzodiazepine tranquilizers, such as chlordiazepoxide (Librium) and diazepam (Valium), allowing patients to take lower doses of these potentially addictive drugs. The herb can be used by itself to treat insomnia, dizziness, excessive sweating, headache, fatigue, and heart palpitations associated with emotional stress. In one study, athletes who took extracts of schisandra and bryonia alba experienced increased physical performance. Both mental and physical fatigue are reduced with Schizendra.

Skin cancer. A few animal studies have found that Schizendra contains compounds that prevent the development of skin cancer after chemical injury. However, human data are lacking and it was not used historically for this condition.

 

Recommended Use

Schizendra is available as capsules and tinctures, and in combination with other herbs, especially hoelen. (See HOELEN.) Practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) dispense it for use as a tea.

Schizendra should not be used by people with epilepsy, severe high blood pressure, or intracranial pressure. Some reports of heartburn, peptic ulcer, central nervous system depression, hives, loss of appetite, and stomach upset have been reported. Schisandra may increase the flow of bile. People who have gallstones or blockages of the bile ducts therefore should not use this herb. Schizendra also stimulates the uterus and induces labor, so it should be avoided during pregnancy. It also should not be used during lactation.

Botanical Name: Schisandra chinensis
English: Schizendra, Five flavor berry
Also, known as: Bac ngu vi tu, bei wuweizi, Chinesischer Limonenbaum, Chinese magnolia vine, Chinese mock-barberry, chosen-gomishi, lemonwood, limonnik kitajskij, matsbouza, m mei gee, ngu mei gee, northern magnoliavine, o-mee-ja, o-mi-d ja, o-mi-ja, omicha, ornija, pen ts’ ao, schisandra, dheng-mai-yin, wu-wei-zi, wu-weitzu and shisandra
Habitat: Asia
Origin: China
Harvested: Cultivated
Parts Used: Fruit

General Information:
Schisandra is native to Asia. The woody vine grows to 25 feet (7.5 meters) and has white, yellow, or pink fragrant flowers, followed by bunches of red berries with two seeds inside. The vine is also known as bay star vine, magnolia vine, and wu Wei Zi.

The berries are irregularly spheroidal or compressed-spheroidal, 5-8 mm in diameter, externally dark red to blackish red or covered with “white powder”, wrinkled, oily, with soft pulp. Seeds, one to two, reniform, externally brownish yellow to dark red-brown, lustrous, with distinct raphe on the dorsal side.

How to use:
Decoctions are suitable for roots, barks, large seeds & berries, and other dense material. The simple way to make decoction is, in a saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of dried herbs to 1 cup of water. Bring the water to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30-60 minutes. Strain and squeeze out as much as liquid as possible and enjoy!

Tips:
You can sweeten your herbal decoctions with honey, natural fruit juice, stevia leaves powder or licorice root powder.

Precautions:
You should consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using any herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
All information on this website is for educational purposes ONLY.
This information has not been evaluated by Health Canada.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.