Schisandra chinensis, Schizandra chinensis 五 味 子  Wǔ wèi zi   Magnolia vine  
PART USED: Fruit
Nature- warm    FLAVOR: Sour
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Hemostatic and Astringent
1. Constrict Lung, water Kidney, produce fluids.[1]
INDICATIONS
1. Cough and asthma due to Lung deficiency, thirst, dehydration, excessive perspiration, night sweat, chronic diarrhea, neurasthenia.[1]
PATENT COMBINATIONS
PREPARATIONS: Dried ripe fruit 1.5-6 g.
Fluid extract 1:1 in 45% alcohol.[3] When water is added- forms precipitate.
Fluid extract 1:2 in 60% alcohol.[2]

References
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Research

Extracts from Schizandra chinensis fruit activate estrogen receptors: a possible clue to its effects on nitric oxide-mediated vasorelaxation.
Lee YJ, Cho JY, Kim JH, Park WK, Kim DK, Rhyu MR.
Abstract
Schizandra chinensis fruit has long been used for the treatment of cardiovascular symptoms associated especially with menopausal symptoms in Korea. To provide a scientific rationale for such uses, we have investigated the vasorelaxant effects of Schizandra chinensis fruit on the vasomotor tone of the rat thoracic aorta in an organ bath. The crude extracts of Schizandra chinensis fruit (SC-Ex) elicited a transient relaxing response in the endothelium-intact rat aorta contracted with norepinephrine. This relaxant effect was abolished by removal of the endothelium, and also by pretreatment with nitric oxide synthase inhibitor. We then examined whether this vasodilatory effect occurs through estrogen receptor by reporter assays. SC-Ex activated the estrogen-responsive luciferase gene in COS cells transiently transfected with estrogen receptor and reporter plasmids. The activation was maintained in the butanol-soluble fraction and further increased in the successively fractionated C(18) cartridge-adsorbed fraction (SC-ADF). Reporter gene activation by SC-ADF was inhibited by the specific estrogen receptor antagonist ICI 182,780, indicating that the effect is estrogen receptor dependent. However, SC-ADF failed to activate the androgen receptor in COS cells transfected with the corresponding receptor and reporter plasmids. These data show that extracts of Schizandra chinensis fruit act as a weak phytoestrogen.
PMID: 15256741 Biol Pharm Bull. 2004 Jul;27(7):1066-9. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluation of the protective effects of Schisandra chinensis on Phase I drug metabolism using a CCl4 intoxication model.
Zhu M, Lin KF, Yeung RY, Li RC.
Abstract
To evaluate the potential activity of Schisandra chinensis in restoring hepatic drug metabolism in CCl4 damaged liver, antipyrine was employed as a probe for the possible effects of the herb on Phase I oxidative metabolism in rats. Schisandra lignan fraction (160 mg/kg) was given orally to male Sprague-Dawley rats (220-240 g) 30 min or 6 h before CCl4 intoxication (4 ml/kg, s.c.). Following a single oral dose of antipyrine (80 mg/kg) to the rats with damaged liver, the pharmacokinetics of antipyrine in whole blood were determined and levels of liver enzymes, e.g. SGPT, SGOT, and cytochrome P450 were measured. Pharmacokinetic parameters for antipyrine were estimated using noncompartmental analysis. Results indicated that CCl4 significantly increased the elimination half-life (t(1/2)) of antipyrine from 2.59 +/- 1.04 to 11.25 +/- 3.91 h (P < 0.001) and decreased its clearance (CL) from 65.94 to 10.84 ml/h as compared to control. Pretreatment with the Schisandra lignan fraction 30 min or 6 h before intoxication significantly (P < 0.001) improved antipyrine elimination by reducing its t(1/2) to 3.30 +/- 0.52 and 3.58 +/- 1.05 h, respectively. The corresponding improvements observed for CL, i.e. 49.06 +/- 21.75 ml/h (P < 0.01); 21.10 +/- 10.42 ml/h (P < 0.05), were also substantial. Moreover, normalization of SGPT, SGOT and P450 levels was observed with the two Schisandra pretreatment schedules. In conclusion, Schisandra lignans exhibited strong protective effect on Phase I oxidative metabolism in the liver damaged by CCl4. Furthermore, pretreatment of Schisandra 30 min before intoxication showed a more pronounced effect than that of the 6 h pretreatment. The current pharmacokinetic approach allowed the protective effects of Schisandra on oxidative drug metabolism in damaged liver to be systemically examined and will certainly help in the evaluation of hepato-protectants obtained from natural sources.
PMID: 10616961 J Ethnopharmacol. 1999 Oct;67(1):61-8. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cardioprotective effects of aqueous Schizandra chinensis fruit extract on ovariectomized and balloon-induced carotid artery injury rat models: effects on serum lipid profiles and blood pressure.
Kim EY, Baek IH, Rhyu MR.
Author information
Abstract
AIM OF THE STUDY:
The fruit from Schizandra chinensis, a member of the Magnoliaceae family, has been used to treat menopause-related symptoms. We have previously reported that an aqueous extract of Schizandra chinensis fruit (ScEx) caused vascular relaxation via the production of endothelial nitric oxide. Estrogen-like molecules are known to play a protective role in cardiovascular diseases through several mechanisms, but the cardioprotective effects of ScEx have not been clearly demonstrated. Therefore, we investigated the vasculoprotective effects of ScEx on ovariectomized (OVX) and balloon-induced carotid artery injury rat models.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
An aqueous extract of Schizandra chinensis (ScEx) was examined for its cardioprotective effects. To test the arterial response to injury, we applied the balloon-induced carotid artery model to OVX Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Rats were subcutaneously administered vehicle, 17β-estradiol (E2; 0.02 or 0.2mg/kg/day), or ScEx (0.2 or 2.0mg/kg/day) over the course of the study. Vessel morphology was assessed two weeks after injury. To identify the cardioprotective effects after ScEx treatment, we measured serum lipid profiles and blood pressure levels in the OVX- and sham-operated normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Serum lipid profiles were measured in OVX rats after five weeks of treatment with vehicle, E2 (0.5mg/kg/day), or ScEx (0.5 or 5.0mg/kg/day). Tail systolic blood pressure in OVX SHR was measured weekly.
RESULTS:
In the balloon-induced carotid artery injury model, treatment with E2 (0.2mg/kg/day) or ScEx (2.0mg/kg/day) reduced the intimal area and the intima-to-media ratio compared to control animals. Injection of ScEx or E2 reduced body weight gain but did not inhibit the decrease in uterine weight. Treatment with ScEx (5.0mg/kg/day) or E2 (0.5mg/kg/day) in OVX SD rats reduced total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), TC/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and TC-(HDL-C)/HDL-C compared to control animals. In OVX rats, treatment with ScEx or E2 also significantly reduced LDL-C compared with the OVX control rats, and systolic blood pressure was significantly attenuated compared to OVX control and the sham control rats.
CONCLUSIONS:
ScEx treatment restored endothelial function in rats that underwent balloon-induced carotid artery injury, and it reduced serum cholesterol levels in OVX rats. Similar to E2, ScEx exhibited hypotensive effects in OVX SHR. Therefore, ScEx and E2 exhibited similar cardioprotective effects, thereby suggesting that ScEx is a potential candidate to replace estradiol in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
PMID: 21256204 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2011.01.019 J Ethnopharmacol. 2011 Apr 12;134(3):668-75. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2011.01.019. Epub 2011 Jan 20. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of the aqueous extract of Schizandra chinensis fruit on ethanol withdrawal-induced anxiety in rats.
Wu Y, Zhao Z, Yang Y, Yang X, Jang EY, Schilaty ND, Hedges DM, Kim SC, Cho IJ, Zhao R.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
We previously demonstrated that the aqueous extract of the Schizandra chinensis fruit (AESC) ameliorated Cd-induced depletion of monoamine neurotransmitters in the brain through antioxidant activity. In the present study, we investigated the effect of AESC on anxiety-like behavior and the levels of norepinephrine and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-phenylglycol (a metabolite of norepinephrine) in different brain regions during ethanol withdrawal in rats.
METHODS:
Male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with 3 g/kg of ethanol (20%, w/v) or saline by daily intraperitoneal injection for 28 days followed by three days of withdrawal. During withdrawal, rats were given AESC (100 mg × kg(-1)× d(-1) or 300 mg × kg(-1)× d(-1), P.O.) once a day for three days. Thirty minutes after the final dose of AESC, the anxiogenic response was evaluated using an elevated plus maze, and the plasma corticosterone levels were examined by radioimmunoassay. Meanwhile, the concentrations of norepinephrine and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-phenylglycol in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus and hippocampus were also measured by high performance liquid chromatography.
RESULTS:
Rats undergoing ethanol withdrawal exhibited substantial anxiety-like behavior, which was characterized by both the decrease in time spent in the open arms of the elevated plus maze and the increased level of corticosterone secretion, which were greatly attenuated by doses of AESC in a dose-dependent manner. The high performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed that ethanol withdrawal significantly increased norepinephrine and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-phenylglycol levels in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus, while not significantly altering them in the hippocampus. Similar to the results from the elevated plus maze test, the AESC significantly inhibited the elevation of norepinephrine and its metabolite in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus in a dose-dependent manner.
CONCLUSIONS:
These results suggest that AESC attenuates anxiety-like behavior induced by ethanol withdrawal through modulation of the hypothalamic norepinephrine system in the brain.
Chin Med J (Engl). 2014;127(10):1935-40. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Inhibitory effects of Schizandra chinensis extract on atopic dermatitis in NC/Nga mice.
Kang YH, Shin HM.
Abstract
CONTEXT:
Schizandra chinensis Baillon (SC) is traditionally used as a medicinal plant in the Orient. Recently, SC has become recognized as an adaptogen by the mainstream medical community. Phytoadaptogens influence respiratory, cardiovascular, uterus myotonic, and immune activities. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an allergic inflammatory skin disease caused by aberrant and over-reactive immune responses.
OBJECTIVE:
This study assessed the suppressive effect of SC extract (SCE) on 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB)-induced AD in a NC/Nga mouse model.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
AD was induced by topically applying 0.2% DNCB to the hairless-back of NC/Nga mice for 4 weeks. Treated mice received SCE or dexamethasone after AD induction.
RESULTS:
SCE markedly suppressed DNCB-induced dermatitis, as determined by a count of scratching frequency; measurement of IgE, IgM, and histamine levels in serum; and histological observation of epidermal hyperplasia and mast-cell infiltration. Additionally, SCE lessened DNCB-induced histamine receptor mRNA expression in skin tissue and the splenic expressions of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and high-affinity IgE receptor B protein.
CONCLUSION:
SCE appears useful for suppression of AD, even though the active pathway(s) remain unknown.
PMID: 21854164 DOI: 10.3109/08923973.2011.602689
Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol. 2012 Apr;34(2):292-8. doi: 10.3109/08923973.2011.602689. Epub 2011 Aug 19. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Schizandra chinensis and Scutellaria baicalensis counter stress behaviors in mice.
Lee S, Kim DH, Jung JW, Oh JH, Park HJ, Park C, Huh Y, Cheong JH, Oh TH, Ryu JH.
Abstract
The individual and combined antistress effects of the fruit of Schizandra chinensis and the radix of Scutellaria baicalensis were evaluated using a mouse acute stress model. Stress consisted of immobilization and electric foot shocks over 5 days. Mice were treated with herbal extracts for 7 days before exposing the animals to stress. Before each stressor presentation, the mice were treated with each herbal extract. Reduced locomotor activity and the percentage of time spent in the open arms of an elevated plus-maze under stress were recovered by treatment with the extract containing equal amounts of S. chinensis and S. baicalensis (CB11) at 200 and 400 mg/kg (p < 0.05). The effects of CB11 were greater than the effects of S. chinensis or S. baicalensis alone. CB11 treatment (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) significantly reduced serum corticosterone levels (p < 0.05). Spleen size and the serum interleukin-2 level decreases induced by stress were prevented by CB11 (200 mg/kg) (p < 0.05). Taken together, these results suggest that S. chinensis and S. baicalensis in equal amounts could be used to treat stress disorders, in part, by preventing corticosterone and IL-2 level changes and ameliorating stress-related behavior parameters.
PMID: 17639560 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.2233 Phytother Res. 2007 Dec;21(12):1187-92. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effect of Schisandra chinensis extracts on depression by noradrenergic, dopaminergic, GABAergic and glutamatergic systems in the forced swim test in mice.
Yan T, Xu M, Wu B, Liao Z, Liu Z, Zhao X, Bi K, Jia Y.
Abstract
Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill., as a Chinese functional food, has been widely used in neurological disorders including insomnia and Alzheimer's disease. The treatment of classical neuropsychiatric disorder depression is to be developed from Schisandra chinensis. The antidepressant-like effects of the Schisandra chinensis extracts (SCE), and their probable involvement in the serotonergic, noradrenergic, dopaminergic, GABAergic and glutamatergic systems were investigated by the forced swim test (FST). Acute administration of SCE (600 mg kg(-1), i.g.), a combination of SCE (300 mg kg(-1), i.g.) and reboxetine (a noradrenalin reuptake inhibitor, 2.5 mg kg(-1), i.p.) or imipramine (a TCA, 2 mg kg(-1), i.p.) reduced the immobility time in the FST. Pretreatment with N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine hydrochloride (DSP-4, a selective noradrenergic neurotoxin, 50 mg kg(-1), i.p., 4 days), haloperidol (a non-selective D2 receptor antagonist, 0.2 mg kg(-1), i.p.), SCH 23390 (a selective D1 receptor antagonist, 0.03 mg kg(-1), i.p.), bicuculline (a competitive GABA antagonist, 4 mg kg(-1), i.p.) and N-methyl-d-aspartic acid (NMDA, an agonist at the glutamate site, 75 mg kg(-1), i.p.) effectively reversed the antidepressant-like effect of SCE (600 mg kg(-1), i.g.). However, p-chlorophenylalanine (pCPA, an inhibitor of 5-HT synthesis, 100 mg kg(-1), i.p., 4 days,) did not eliminate the reduced immobility time induced by SCE (600 mg kg(-1), i.g.). Moreover, the treatments did not change the locomotor activity. Altogether, these results indicated that SCE produced antidepressant-like activity, which might be mediated by the modification of noradrenergic, dopaminergic, GABAergic and glutamatergic systems.
PMID: 27225351 DOI: 10.1039/c6fo00328a
Food Funct. 2016 Jun 15;7(6):2811-9. doi: 10.1039/c6fo00328a. Epub 2016 May 26. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov