Introduction of Wu Wei Zi:Chinese Magnoliavine Fruit or Fructus Schisandrae.
✵The article gives records of the herb Chinese Magnoliavine Fruit, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source two plant species, ①.Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill., and another usable plant species, ②.Schisandra sphenanthera Rehd. et Wils. with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of these two plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of these two plant species, the features of the herb Chinese Magnoliavine Fruit, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Fructus Schisandrae(Chinese Magnoliavine Fruit).
Pin Yin Name: Wǔ Wèi Zǐ.
English Name: Chinese Magnoliavine Fruit, Schisandra Berry, Schisandra Fruit, etc.
Latin Name: Fructus Schisandrae.
Property and flavor: warm nature, tastes sour, sweet.
Brief introduction: The Herb Fructus Schisandrae is the dried ripe fruit of Schisandra chinensis(Turcz.)Baill. Or Schisandra sphenanthera Rehd. et Wils., used as an astringent for the treatment of dry cough, asthma, night sweats, seminal emission, and chronic diarrhea, also used as a tranquilizer for palpitation and insomnia. The herb is commonly known as Fructus Schisandrae, Chinese Magnoliavine Fruit, Wǔ Wèi Zǐ.
Botanical source: Herbal classic book defined the herb Schisandra Berry (Wu Wei Zi) as the fruit of the Schisandraceae family plant species (1). Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill.(Wu Wei Zi), or (2). Schisandra sphenanthera Rehd. et Wils. (Hua Zhong Wu Wei Zi). They are plant species of the Schisandra Michx genus, the Schisandraceae family of the Illiciales order. The latest official herbal classics(2020 Edition) defined the herb as the dried ripe berry from botanical source (1).Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. These 2 commonly used species are introduced:
(1).Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill.
Botanical description: The plant, Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill is a plant of the Schisandraceae family and Schisandra genus, it is also known as Kadsura chinensis Turcz., and commonly known as Wǔ Wèi Zǐ (means Five-Tastes Seeds), Běi Wǔ Wèi Zǐ (means Northern Schisandra), or North Schisandra. Deciduous woody lianas. Young shoots (twigs) are russet (reddish-brown), and old branches are taupe (grayish-brown), slightly angular, and have corners. Petioles are 2~4.5 cm long; leaves are alternate, membranous; leaf blades are obovate or ovate-elliptic, 5~10 cm long, 3~5 cm wide, apex is sharp-pointed or acuminate, base is cuneate (wedge-shaped), edges have glandular fine teeth, the upper surface is smooth and glabrous, the leaf veins on the under surface have pubescence in seedling period.
Flowers are mostly unisexual (separate), dioecious, and rarely monoecious, flowers are solitary or cluster in leaf axils, cream white (milky white) or pink, and the perianth has 6~7 sepals (perianth lobes); usually, 5 stamens, anthers grow in a cluster at the tip of cylindrical receptacle, anther cell is split outward; gynaecium (gynoecia or gynoecium) is elliptic, 17-40 separate carpels, receptacle gradually stretch and turns spicate after flowering, 3-10 cm long.
Small berries are globular (spherical shape), turns red at maturity. 1–2 seeds, reniform, hazel (pale brown) and glossy. Its flowering period is from May to June, and the fruiting period is from August to September.
Ecological environment: Schisandra chinensis grows in areas at altitudes of 1,500 meters above sea level, in shaw (holt or miscellaneous wood forest) on sunny hillsides or mountain slopes, forest edges, and shrubs beside stream. Geographical distribution: This species is mainly distributed in the north, the middle reaches of the Yellow River, and other areas of China.
Growth characteristics: The plant, Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill is a deciduous woody vine, it prefers a cool and moist climate, has cold resistance, is not tolerant to waterlogging, and needs moderate shaded by foilage, especially avoiding hot sun exposure in the seedling period. It is appropriate to choose a field with loose, fertile, humus-rich loam for cultivation.
Characters of herbs: The dried berry is an irregular globular or oblate, 5~8 mm in diameter. The surface is red, violet red or darkish red (dull red), wizened (shriveled), oleosus (oily), and delicate, the fruit pulp is soft, and some surfaces are black red or glaucous. 1~2 seeds, the seed is reniform, the surface of the seed is brownish yellow, and glossy, and the spermoderm (seed coat) is thin and crisp. The pulp has a slight odor, it tastes sour; when the seed is broken, it has a fragrance and tastes spicy and slightly bitter. The herb of a better grade has big grains, red, thick pulp, oleosus, and glossy.
Pharmacological actions: The herb Fructus Schisandrae has the function of relieving cough and removing phlegm, adjusting blood pressure, regulating gastric juice secretion and promoting bile secretion, exciting the central nervous system, exciting the spinal cord, and improving the cerebral cortex. Other main effects of Fructus Schisandrae are: ①. Liver protection or hepatoprotective effect; ②. Cardiovascular system function; ③.good health care effect on the central nervous system; ④.Effects of the digestive system; ⑤. Respiratory system effect; ⑥. Immune system effect; ⑦. Anti-aging effect; ⑧. Anti-allergic effect, etc. ⑨. Besides, the herb Fructus schisandrae has strong anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, it can inhibit Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pneumococcus, Staphylococcus, and Bacillus typhi, and enhancing non-specific resistance in the body, and so on.
Medicinal efficacy: Constringency and inducing astringency, astringe the lung, benefiting Qi for promoting the production of fluid (supplementing Qi and promoting the production of body fluid), nourishing kidney, collecting perspiration, stopping seminal emission, tonifying the kidney and calming the heart, calm the heart and soothe the nerves (relieve uneasiness of mind and body tranquilization). It is indicated for chronic cough and dyspnea due to deficiency, cough and dyspnea of deficiency type, dyspnea with cough of lung deficiency, nocturnal emission (wet dream), night emission, anischuria (enuresis, bedwetting), unstoppable chronic diarrhea, protracted dysentery, spontaneous perspiration (spontaneous sweating), perspire during sleep (night sweeting), dry mouth and thirst, impairment of fluid and thirst, endogenous heat and wasting thirst (internal heat and consumptive thirst), internal lesion caused by overexertion and emaciation weak, palpitation and insomnia (paipitation, lose sleep), etc.
Administration of Fructus Schisandrae (Wǔ Wèi Zǐ):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Fructus Schisandrae (Wǔ Wèi Zǐ)
TCM Books:
①.Internally: 2~6 grams; ②.Internally:water decoction, 0.5~2 qian (about 1.5~6 grams);or prepare to pill, powder. Externally: prepare to finely ground herb powder to mix, or wash with water decoction; ③.Internally:water decoction, 3~6 grams; prepare to finely ground herb powder, 1~3 grams each time; prepare an ointment; or prepare to pill, powder. Externally: prepare to finely ground herb powder to mix, or wash with water decoction.
Contraindications,Precautions and Adverse Reactions:the herb Fructus Schisandrae should avoid using or forbidden in conditions onset of cough syndrome, onset of measles. The herb should not be combined with Solomon's seal.
(2).Schisandra sphenanthera Rehd. et Wils.
Botanical description: The plant, Schisandra sphenanthera Rehd. et Wils is a plant of the Schisandraceae family and Schisandra genus, it is also known as HuáZhōng Wǔ Wèi Zǐ (means Central-China Schisandra), or Nán Wǔ Wèi Zǐ (means Southern Schisandra), or South Schisandra. Deciduous woody lianas. Old branches are taupe (dust color or grayish-brown), lenticels are distinct, and branchlets are prunus (violet-red). Leaves are alternate, chartaceous(papery); petioles are 1~3 cm long, reddish; leaf blades are obovate, broad-ovate (broadly ovate) or obovate-oblong-oval, usually the widest part is above the middle of the leaf, 4~10 cm long, 3~6 cm wide, the apex is mucronate or acuminate, the base is cuneate or rounded, the margin is sparsely undulated serrulate, the upper surface is green, the undersurface is pea green (pale green), lateral veins are in 4–6 pairs, retiform veins are more conspicuous.
Flowers are unisexual (separate), dioecious, orange-yellow, 1.2 cm in diameter, solitary or 1~3 flowers are in the tuft and grow in leaf axils, pedicels are thin, 2~4 cm long, 5-8 perianth, arranged in 2~3 whorls; 10~19 stamens, grow and inserted on the obovate receptacle, filaments are short, the front tip of anther is truncated; gynaecium (gynoecia or gynoecium) is subsphaeroidal, 30~50 carpels.
Infructescences are 3.5~10 cm long, small berries are spheric shape (globular), turn ruby-red (bright red) at maturity. 2 seeds, reniform, about 3 mm long, the spermoderm (seed coat) has few trailing points on the raphe. Its flowering period is from April to June, and the fruiting period is from August to September.
Ecological environment: Schisandra sphenanthera grows in areas at altitudes of 600~2,400 meters above sea level, in the jungles or on stream sides. Geographical distribution: This species is mainly distributed in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, northwest, southwest, and other areas of China.
Characters of herbs: The dried fruit grains are smaller. The surface is red-brown to dark brown, wizzled and shriveled (wizened), and the pulp often clings to the seeds. The herb of a better grade has big grains, red, thick pulp, oily and glossy.
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1.Introduction of Wu Wei Zi:Chinese Magnoliavine Fruit or Fructus Schisandrae.
✵The article gives records of the herb Chinese Magnoliavine Fruit, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source two plant species, ①.Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill., and another usable plant species, ②.Schisandra sphenanthera Rehd. et Wils. with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of these two plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of these two plant species, the features of the herb Chinese Magnoliavine Fruit, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Pin Yin Name: Wǔ Wèi Zǐ.
Botanical description: The plant, Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill is a plant of the Schisandraceae family and Schisandra genus, it is also known as Kadsura chinensis Turcz., and commonly known as Wǔ Wèi Zǐ (means Five-Tastes Seeds), Běi Wǔ Wèi Zǐ (means Northern Schisandra), or North Schisandra. Deciduous woody lianas. Young shoots (twigs) are russet (reddish-brown), and old branches are taupe (grayish-brown), slightly angular, and have corners. Petioles are 2~4.5 cm long; leaves are alternate, membranous; leaf blades are obovate or ovate-elliptic, 5~10 cm long, 3~5 cm wide, apex is sharp-pointed or acuminate, base is cuneate (wedge-shaped), edges have glandular fine teeth, the upper surface is smooth and glabrous, the leaf veins on the under surface have pubescence in seedling period.
Growth characteristics: The plant, Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill is a deciduous woody vine, it prefers a cool and moist climate, has cold resistance, is not tolerant to waterlogging, and needs moderate shaded by foilage, especially avoiding hot sun exposure in the seedling period. It is appropriate to choose a field with loose, fertile, humus-rich loam for cultivation.
Medicinal efficacy: Constringency and inducing astringency, astringe the lung, benefiting Qi for promoting the production of fluid (supplementing Qi and promoting the production of body fluid), nourishing kidney, collecting perspiration, stopping seminal emission, tonifying the kidney and calming the heart, calm the heart and soothe the nerves (relieve uneasiness of mind and body tranquilization). It is indicated for chronic cough and dyspnea due to deficiency, cough and dyspnea of deficiency type, dyspnea with cough of lung deficiency, nocturnal emission (wet dream), night emission, anischuria (enuresis, bedwetting), unstoppable chronic diarrhea, protracted dysentery, spontaneous perspiration (spontaneous sweating), perspire during sleep (night sweeting), dry mouth and thirst, impairment of fluid and thirst, endogenous heat and wasting thirst (internal heat and consumptive thirst), internal lesion caused by overexertion and emaciation weak, palpitation and insomnia (paipitation, lose sleep), etc.
Botanical description: The plant, Schisandra sphenanthera Rehd. et Wils is a plant of the Schisandraceae family and Schisandra genus, it is also known as HuáZhōng Wǔ Wèi Zǐ (means Central-China Schisandra), or Nán Wǔ Wèi Zǐ (means Southern Schisandra), or South Schisandra. Deciduous woody lianas. Old branches are taupe (dust color or grayish-brown), lenticels are distinct, and branchlets are prunus (violet-red). Leaves are alternate, chartaceous(papery); petioles are 1~3 cm long, reddish; leaf blades are obovate, broad-ovate (broadly ovate) or obovate-oblong-oval, usually the widest part is above the middle of the leaf, 4~10 cm long, 3~6 cm wide, the apex is mucronate or acuminate, the base is cuneate or rounded, the margin is sparsely undulated serrulate, the upper surface is green, the undersurface is pea green (pale green), lateral veins are in 4–6 pairs, retiform veins are more conspicuous.
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