Schisandra is the fruit of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.)Baill.and Schisandra sphenantheraRe-hd et Wils. Schisandra seeds contain schisandrin (schizandrol), deoxyschizandrin(Schizandrin A), r-schizandrin (Schisandrin B) and Schisandra alcohol. Schisandrin is the main component,the other ingredients include malic acid, tartaric acid, vitamin A, vitamin C, resin, tannin, sugars, and arginine. Seeds contain approximately 34% oil, the ash contains iron, manganese, silicon, phosphorus, and other minerals.

Protecting liver and lowering transaminase

Experiments show that Schisandra is useful in inhibiting the increase of animal serum alanine aminotransferase (CPT) caused by carbon tetrachloride. The alcohol extract of the seeds can significantly reduce experimental liver injury due to high serum transaminases, however the water decoction of the pulp or seeds is not useful, which proved that the active ingredients are alcohol soluble and water insoluble.

The experiment also showed that the isolated monomer r-Schisandrin has hepatoprotective effect of liver cells and can accelerate the regeneration of liver tissue. The hepatic lobule necrotic area of liver damaged by carbon tetrachloride shrinked after treatment with schisandra preparations, the liver cells containing fatty oil significantly reduced, hydrolases, oxidase and dehydrogenase recovered. as compared with the control group, the treatment group animals have more mitochondria in the liver cells of central necrotic area, further observation shows that the application of animal liver cells the levels of nucleic, general proteins, basic proteins, and disulfide group bound with thionamide grous of schisandra treatment group are higher than the control group.

Consequently it is considered that the Schisandra contributes to the protein synthesis of liver cells, which helps mitochondrial restoring and increasing, the corresponding activity increased, and the liver cells recover and regenerate.

Clinical applications

The treatment of anicteric hepatitis and chronic persistent hepatitis with schisandra powder, 3g per serving, 3 times a day, one month as one treatment period, alanine aminotransferase reduced obvious. during this period, transaminase dropeds down to a certain level, and no more dropping, or when the treatment effect is not obvious, the daily dosage increases to 12-18g.

It’s reported that Schisandra 2g, or 90% tincture or 5g extractum is useful for acute bacillary dysentery and other acute intestinal infection. For patients with chronic enteritis, dysentery, indigestion and chromic diarrhea,the prescription of schisandra with psoralen, evodia and nutmeg improves immunity, anti-infection, digestion aid and diarrhoea cure. The dosage is 3-9g.