Schisandra
Snapshot
Schisandra is an adaptogenic “five-flavor” berry supporting stress resilience, liver health, and focus; lignans like schisandrin activate antioxidant and detox defenses.
What It Is
Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis), known as “Wu Wei Zi,” is a woody vine whose bright red berries have been used for centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine as a restorative tonic. Modern research centers on its adaptogenic effects, liver support, and antioxidant activity.
Where It Comes From
Native to northeastern China, Korea, and the Russian Far East, schisandra berries are harvested and dried for teas, tinctures, and standardized extracts. In Chinese materia medica you’ll also see a related species, S. sphenanthera, used in some formulas; both contain similar dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans.
Key Nutrients & Compounds
Schisandra berries provide a dense mix of bioactive lignans—schisandrin (A, B, C), schisandrol (A, B), deoxyschisandrin, and gomisins (A, N, and others)—along with polyphenols, essential oils, organic acids, and polysaccharides. These constituents are credited with antioxidant, hepatoprotective, and adaptogenic activity.
Health Benefits
Schisandra is considered an adaptogen that can help the body respond to stress. Controlled trials and reviews report improved attention and mental performance under fatigue, using schisandra alone or alongside other adaptogens.
For physical performance, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in post-menopausal women found that 1,000 mg/day of schisandra extract for 12 weeks increased quadriceps strength and lowered resting lactate versus placebo.
Liver support is one of schisandra’s best-studied traditional uses. Preclinical and translational research shows lignans such as schisandrin B upregulate Nrf2-mediated antioxidant defenses and support glutathione recycling, mechanisms consistent with hepatoprotection; emerging clinical observations suggest potential to reduce liver enzymes in some settings, though large human trials remain limited.
Recommended Dosage
Common ranges are 1.5–6 g/day of dried fruit (tea or powder) or 500–2,000 mg/day of a standardized extract, often providing ≥1–2% total lignans. Some protocols reference ~20 mg/day of total lignans (≈1.5 g crude fruit) for liver applications. Start low and assess tolerance.
How To Use It
Use consistently for several weeks; many studies run 4–12 weeks. Standardized capsules are the simplest route; tinctures and teas are traditional options. If it feels mildly stimulating, take earlier in the day. Taking with food may improve tolerance.
Who Should Use It
People seeking support for stress resilience and mental clarity, athletes or active individuals looking for endurance or recovery support, and those discussing adjunctive liver support with a qualified clinician may consider schisandra. Evidence is promising but not definitive, so it should complement—not replace—medical care.
Possible Interactions or Cautions
Schisandra lignans can inhibit CYP3A and P-glycoprotein in vitro and in vivo. Extracts of the related species S. sphenanthera (Wuzhi) substantially increase tacrolimus blood levels—highlighting a real interaction risk for narrow-therapeutic-index CYP3A substrates (e.g., tacrolimus, cyclosporine, certain statins, calcium-channel blockers, some benzodiazepines). Avoid in pregnancy due to potential uterine-stimulating effects; safety in breastfeeding is unclear. Mild GI upset can occur. Review medications with a clinician.
Final Thoughts
Schisandra is a versatile adaptogenic berry with mechanistic depth and growing human data for stress and performance, plus longstanding liver applications. It fits people wanting a well-tolerated tonic that supports resilience and recovery—used thoughtfully, especially where drug interactions are a concern.
Scientific Studies
Panossian A, Wikman G. Clinical review on adaptogens (includes schisandra) showing benefits under stress. http://doi.org/10.3109/13880209.2010.545339
Aslanyan G, et al. Double-blind RCT of ADAPT-232 (schisandra + rhodiola + eleuthero) improving attention/accuracy under stress. http://doi.org/10.1055/s-2009-1216545
Park J, et al. RCT: 1,000 mg/day schisandra extract for 12 weeks improved quadriceps strength and reduced resting lactate in women. http://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25289816/
Leong PK, et al. Schisandrin B activates Nrf2 and enhances glutathione-based antioxidant defenses in hepatocytes. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2011.01.004
Feng S, et al. Keap1-Nrf2 activation by schisandrin B clarifies a key antioxidant pathway relevant to liver protection. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2013.03.010
Yan L, et al. Meta-analysis: Wuzhi (Schisandra sphenanthera) increases tacrolimus blood levels—clear clinical interaction signal. http://doi.org/10.1007/s00228-019-02709-7