Schisandra, often spelled schizandra, is a fruit with a number of fairly well established benefits and many potential benefits that have not been verified by human studies. Claims for schisandra run the gamut from heart health enhancer to sexual stimulant to liver protector to sedative. It has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries and is increasingly of interest to researchers in Westtern medicine.
What
Schisandra fruit with a taste that is sweet, salty, bitter, hot and sour. For that reason, it is called wu wei in China, meaning five-flavored fruit. Schisandra extracts are made from the small, red berries. Native to China and also grown in Japan and Russia, schisandra was traditionally used to treat coughs, asthma, diarrhea and sweating.
Potential Benefits
Schisandra might be beneficial for conditions including both traditional uses -- asthma, coughs, diarrhea, sweating -- and more modern discoveries such as indigestion, influenza, liver disease and premenstrual syndrome, according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Schisandra also appears to be useful as an adaptogen, which can increase stamina and focus while easing stress and improving immunity.
Research
While animal and in vitro studies of schisandra indicate it may be beneficial for a number of conditions, such studies are not conclusive. Human studies usually do not replicate studies of animals or in test tubes. Nevertheless, such studies are intriguing. Animal studies, more reliable than test tube studies, indicate that schisandra protects the liver, acts as a sedative and increases heart health. In vitro, or test tube experiments, indicate that the phytochemicals in schisandra give the fruit antioxident cancer fighting properties. It also appears that schisandra is effective as an anti-bacterial agent and an anti-depressant.
Considerations
Schisandra appears to be relatively safe for most people. Side effects include heartburn and central nervous system depression. Do not take schisandra if you are pregnant or breast feeding or if you are have acid reflux, peptic ulcer, epilepsy or high intercranial pressure. Schisandra interacts with certain drugs as well, so always check with your doctor before taking a new supplement or herb.
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