What is Schisandra Chinensis? Schisandra Chinensis is a woody vine with broad leaves that can grow as high as 8 meters and bears yellowish-white and pinkish flowers and produces small dark red fruits. Schisandra Chinensis is often referred to as Chinese Magnolia Vine and the fruits (known as fructus shisandra or fructae) have been used traditionally in China and Russia for respiratory health and promoting energy. Benefits of Schisandra Chinensis -Supports healthy stress levels -Promotes respiratory health -Supports cognitive function What is Schisandra Used For? Schisandra extract has been used in traditionally in China to support lung, liver, and nervous system health. Schisandra Chinensis extract has been historically used to promote healthy stress levels. The fruits are sometimes referred to as the Wuweizi (Five flavored berry) because it is known to have bitter, sweet, sour, astringent, and salty flavors. The salty and sour tastes were thought to support liver health while the astringent and bitter profiles were believed to be good for the lungs and heart while the sweet flavor was good for the stomach. What Does Schisandra Do? Schisandra extract has been shown in some studies to promote healthy stress levels but these studies have only been conducted with subjects under conditions of stress. Because of this, Schisandra is often considered an adaptogen supplement. This was able to be measured from the decrease in corticosterones and notable regulation of stress. Schisandra is also believed to support cognitive function.
