Schisandra chinensis 五味子 in Chinese, pinyin: wǔ wèi zi, literally "five flavor berry") is a deciduous woody vine native to forests of Northern China and the Russian Far East. It is hardy in USDA Zone 4.

Its Chinese name comes from the fact that its berries possess all five basic flavors: salty, sweet, sour, pungent (spicy), and bitter. Sometimes it is more specifically called běi wǔ wèi zi; literally "northern five flavor berry") to distinguish it from another traditionally medicinal schisandraceous plant Kadsura japonica that grows only in subtropical areas. Another variant of schizandra berry is that of Schisandra Sphenanthera which has a similar but different biochemical profile; the Chinese pharmaceopia distinguishes between Schisandra Chinensis (běi wǔ wèi zi) and Schisandra Sphenanthera (nan wǔ wèi zi)

Its berries are used in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is considered one of the 50 fundamental herbs. They are most often used in dried form, and boiled to make a tea. Medicinally it is used as a tonic and restorative adaptogen with notable clinically documented liver protecting effects. The primary hepatoprotective (liver protecting) and immuno-modulating constituents are the lignans schizandrin, deoxyschizandrin, gomisins, and pregomisin, which are found in the seeds of the fruit. It should not be used by pregnant women.

- In China, a wine is made from the berries.
- In Korean the berries are known as omija, and the tea made from the berries is called omija cha; see Korean tea.
- In Japanese, they are called gomishi. The Ainu people used this plant, called repnihat, as a remedy for colds and sea-sickness.

In traditional Chinese medicine, Schisandra chinensis (known as wu wei zi) is believed to:

• 1. Astringe Lung Qi and nourish the Kidneys
• 2. Restrain the essence and stop Diarrhea--astringent Kidneys
• 3. Arrest excessive sweating from Yin or Yang deficiency
• 4. Calm the Spirit by tonification of Heart and Kidney
• 5. Generate body fluids and alleviate thirst
• S. chinensis yields schisandrin B.

The great interest in Limonnik (Schisandra chinensis) in Russia arises from results of ethnopharmacological investigations of Russian scientists in the Far East regions where the berries and seeds were used by Nanai (Goldes or Samagir) hunters to improve night vision, as a tonic and to reduce hunger, thirst and exhaustion since “it gives forces to follow a sable all the day without food”. "Pharmacological studies have shown that Schizandra increases physical working capacity and affords a stress-protective effect against a broad spectrum of harmful factors including heat shock, skin burn, cooling, frostbite, immobilisation, swimming under load in an atmosphere with decreased air pressure, aseptic inflammation, irradiation, and heavy metal intoxication. The phytoadaptogen exerts an effect on the central nervous, sympathetic, endocrine, immune, respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal systems, on the development of experimental atherosclerosis, on blood sugar and acid-base balance, and on uterus myotonic activity."

Schizandrin is one of the main dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans present in the fruit of Schisandra Chinensis. Biological activities including hepatoprotective, antiviral and neuroprotective effects of schizandrin and other dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans have been reported.

Recent studies have demonstrated that schisandrin exhibits anti-oxidative effects in vivo.

γ-schizandrin, gomisin A, γ-terpinene, bisabolene (+)-gomisin K2, gomisin S, Pregomisin, Schisantherin A, Schicantherin B

Application:

Extract (extract of 70% isopropyl alcohol in a ratio of 1:3) - after taking 20 to 30 drops of water on an empty stomach or 4 hours after eating. Infusion - table-spoonful of berries (fresh or dried), pour a glass of boiling water, and inclined in a covered vessel for 2 hours, then drain off. Accepted after 2 tablespoons of tea 4 times a day before eating.

Powdered seeds to enjoy the 0.5 grams 2 times daily before meals.