Releaf and Firm Believer next to mocktail and schisandra berries
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In the wild forests of eastern Asia, a vine adorned with clusters of white flowers and red berries can be found climbing high into the tree canopy. Native to northeastern China and eastern Russia, this climbing plant, known scientifically as Schisandra chinensis, is widely distributed in the northeastern part of China, Korea, and Japan. Schisandra is best known for its medicinal red berries that are a distinctive combination of five different flavors: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and pungent. Because of this, schisandra berry is called wu wei zi or “five flavors fruit” in China. Its unique combination of flavors reflects its diverse range of therapeutic properties, particularly its ability to support liver health, enhance stress resilience, and improve cognitive function.

Schisandra berry has a starring role in several herbalist-crafted Apothékary formulas like Rosé-Tinted Glasses™, Firm Believer™, and Releaf™. Its luscious red color supplies a spectrum of antioxidants that fend off free radicals and fight aging for glowing skin and total body wellness. Its amazingly broad range of benefits also help uplift mood and ease stress, while supporting detoxification and immunity.

What is schisandra?

Schisandra is an extremely versatile medicinal plant, with an ancient history of use in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) dating back to 25–220 AD, during the early Chinese Eastern Han Dynasty. The first documented record of schisandra’s medicinal use was written in the foundational Chinese herbal medicine text Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing. It was valued as a superior medicine that would promote ageless longevity, increased energy, and enhanced virility. It was also used as a remedy for fatigue and coughs.

Schisandra is a deciduous woody vine that can grow over 20 feet long, high into the tree canopy of wild forests of eastern Asia, with clusters of white flowers followed by medicinal red berries that are often wild-harvested from these biodiverse habitats. The berries contain pungent and bitter seeds, with a sweet and sour skin and pulp, and a salty flavor overall. According to TCM theory, different flavors work on different, corresponding parts of the body. So schisandra, which contains all five flavors, is said to benefit each part of the whole body (e.g. the five yin organs in TCM—the Liver, Spleen, Lung, Heart, and Kidney).

Traditional uses of schisandra

Schisandra is listed in many official materia medica worldwide, including the national pharmacopoeial standards of Hong Kong, China, Korea, Japan, Europe, Canada, and the U.S.

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), schisandra is valued for its ability to calm the spirit, enhance vitality, delay aging, reduce stress, and support liver health. It is believed to have “warming” properties that act on the heart, lung, and kidney channels to counteract fatigue and weakness, improve mental health, brighten dull skin, and soothe insomnia.

Research interest in schisandra was sparked in the former USSR between 1940 and 1960, when it came to the attention of scientists that Indigenous Siberian hunters were using schisandra to enhance stamina and night vision, and to stave off hunger and thirst. This early scientific research supported the nootropic and ergogenic uses of schisandra for improved mental performance and increased work capacity, and modern research continues to uncover the adaptogenic benefits of schisandra to the present. Additionally, schisandra is one of the few adaptogens that is a berry rather than a mushroom or a root.

Health benefits of schisandra

Schisandra berry has become globally popular for its adaptogenic properties, helping the body resist the effects of stress and improve overall resilience, while also helping enhance physical performance. Studies show that schisandra can improve mental health, boost vitality, suppress appetite, and may even delay aging. Schisandra also has immune-supporting, energy-enhancing, liver protective, and antioxidant effects. How can one little red berry do all this?

Schisandra contains a spectrum of health-promoting factors, including polyphenols, polysaccharides, lignans, quercetin, essential oils, and vitamins A, C and E. These constituents provide many of Schisandra's antioxidant and adaptogenic health benefits, supporting liver, skin, and immune health.

Scientific evidence shows that schisandra can protect against skin photoaging, and provide general anti-aging benefits, to help maintain vitality, energy, and cognitive function throughout life. Schisandra acts as a neuroprotective, enhancing overall cognitive function, including mental clarity, focus, and memory. These cognitive benefits are likely a result of schisandra’s antioxidant effects, and enhanced energy metabolism in the brain. By neutralizing free radicals, schisandra’s antioxidant benefits help protect against cellular damage and can also ease inflammation. Schisandra is also known to strengthen the immune system, and to provide liver protection and improve liver function, which is tied to detoxification and overall wellness of many body systems.

Conclusion

Schisandra berry has been valued for centuries for its benefits for liver, skin, and overall health, and research evidence has validated these benefits and many more. As an antioxidant, for cognitive and immune health, this berry supports total body wellness, inside and out. Schisandra is one of the few adaptogens that is a berry rather than a mushroom or a root. Look for schisandra berries in Apothékary’s herbalist-crafted formulas, Firm Believer™, Releaf™ , and Rosé-Tinted Glasses™