Schisandra chinensis (五味子 in Chinese, pinyin: wǔ wèi zi, literally "five flavor berry") is a decidious woody vine hardy to USDA Zone 4 and is dioecious, meaning individual plants are either male or female, thus both male and female plants must be grown if seed are desired. It is very tolerant to shade. Its Chinese name comes from the fact that its berries possess all five basic flavors: salty, sweet, sour, pungent (spicy), and bitter.

Its berries are used in traditional Chinese medicine. They are most often used in dried form, and boiled to make a tea. Medicinally it is used as a tonic and restorative adaptogen with notable clinically documented liver protecting effects. The primary hepatoprotective (liver protecting) and immuno-modulating constituents are the lignans schizandrin, deoxyschizandrin, gomisins, and pregomisin, which are found in the seeds of the fruit. It should not be used by pregnant women.

In China, a wine is made from the berries.^*

In Korean the berries are known as omija (hangul: 오미자), and the tea made from the berries is called omija cha (hangul: 오미자 차).

Use in traditional Chinese medicine

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In traditional Chinese medicine, Schisandra chinensis (known as wu wei zi) is believed to:

1. Astringe Lung Qi and nourishes the Kidneys
2. Restrain the essence and stops Diarrhea--astringes Kidneys
3. Arrest excessive sweating from Yin or Yang deficiency
4. Calm the Spirit by tonification of Heart and Kidney
5. Generate body fluids and alleviates thirst

Wu wei zi is believed to enter the Lung, Heart and Kidney meridians and its properties are considered to be sour and warm. The typical dose is 1.5-9 grams.

Contraindications include: Internal Excess Heat with External Syndrome, early stage Cough, Rash, Rubella, or Peptic Ulcer, Epileptic Seizure, Hypertension, and Intercranial Pressure.

Dietary supplements | Medicinal herbs and fungi | Austrobaileyales | Traditional Chinese medicine

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