Schisandra: Difference between revisions

Schisandra
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
Order:	Austrobaileyales
Family:	Schisandraceae
Genus:	Schisandra
Species
	Schisandra chinensis; Schisandra glabra;

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Revision as of 22:43, 10 April 2013

Schisandra (Magnolia Vine) is a genus of shrub commonly grown in gardens. It is a hardy deciduous climber which thrives in almost any kind of soil; its preferred position is on a sheltered, shady wall. It may be propagated by cutting off half-matured shoots in August. Species include: S. chinensis, S. glaucescens, S. rubriflora and S. rubrifolia.

Description

Schisandra is native to East Asia, and its dried fruit is sometimes used medicinally. The berries of S. chinensis are given the name wu wei zi in Chinese (五味子; pinyin: wǔ wèi zi), which translates as "five flavor fruit" because they possess all five basic flavors in Chinese herbal medicine: salty, sweet, sour, pungent (spicy), and bitter. In traditional Chinese medicine it is used as a remedy for many ailments: to resist infections, increase skin health, and combat insomnia, coughing, and thirst^{[citation needed]}.

Species

Over 19 species of the genus are said to be used in Chinese medicine, mostly as sedatives and tonic agents.

Pharmacology

Two human trials in China (one double-blind and the other preliminary) have shown that Schisandra^[vague] may help people with chronic viral hepatitis reports Liu KT from Studies on fructus Schizandre cinensis.^{[citation needed]} Schisandra lignans appear to protect the liver by activating the enzymes that produce glutathione.^{[citation needed]}

Recently, the extract of S. rubriflora, a native of the Yunnan province, was found to contain complex and highly oxygenated nortriterpenoids called rubriflorins A-C. ^[1]

References

^ Xiao, W.-L. et al.. J. Nat. Prod. 2007, Web release : May 10th.

External links

Panossian A., Wikman G. Pharmacology of Schisandra chinensis Bail.: An overview of Russian research and uses in medicine . Journal of Ethnopharmacology. Vol 118/2 pp 183-212. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2008.04.020
Schisandraceae [sensu stricto] in the Flora of North America

[1] Xiao, W.-L. et al.. J. Nat. Prod. 2007, Web release : May 10th.

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 *''[[Schisandra glabra]]''
 }}
-'''''Schisandra''''' (Magnolia Vine) is a [[genus]] of [[shrub]] commonly grown in gardens. It is a hardy [[deciduous]] [[climbing plant|climber]] which thrives in virtually any [[soil]]; its preferred position is on a sheltered shady wall. It may be [[plant propagation|propagated]] by taking [[cutting]]s of half-matured [[shoot]]s in August. Species include ''[[Schisandra chinensis|S. chinensis]]'', ''S. glaucescens'', ''S. rubriflora'' and ''S. rubrifolia''.
+'''''Schisandra''''' (Magnolia Vine) is a [[genus]] of [[shrub]] commonly grown in gardens. It is a hardy [[deciduous]] [[climbing plant|climber]] which thrives in almost any kind of [[soil]]; its preferred position is on a sheltered, shady wall. It may be [[plant propagation|propagated]] by [[cutting]] off half-matured [[shoot]]s in August. Species include: ''[[Schisandra chinensis|S. chinensis]]'', ''S. glaucescens'', ''S. rubriflora'' and ''S. rubrifolia''.
 ==Description==
 [[File:Schisandra rubriflora.jpg|thumb|left|Flowers of [[Schisandra rubriflora]] at [[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew|Royal Botanic Gardens]], Kew, UK]]
-''Schisandra'' is native to [[East Asia]], and its dried [[fruit]] is used medicinally. The [[berry|berries]] of ''S. chinensis'' are given the name ''wu wei zi'' in Chinese ([[wiktionary:五|五]][[wiktionary:味|味]][[wiktionary:子|子]]; pinyin: wǔ wèi zi), which translates as "five flavor fruit" because they possess all five basic flavors in Chinese herbal medicine: salty, sweet, sour, pungent (spicy), and bitter. In [[traditional Chinese medicine]] it is used as a remedy for many ailments: to resist infections, increase skin health, and combat insomnia, coughing, and thirst{{Citation needed|date=April 2011}}.
+''Schisandra'' is native to [[East Asia]], and its dried [[fruit]] is sometimes used medicinally. The [[berry|berries]] of ''S. chinensis'' are given the name ''wu wei zi'' in Chinese ([[wiktionary:五|五]][[wiktionary:味|味]][[wiktionary:子|子]]; pinyin: wǔ wèi zi), which translates as "five flavor fruit" because they possess all five basic flavors in Chinese herbal medicine: salty, sweet, sour, pungent (spicy), and bitter. In [[traditional Chinese medicine]] it is used as a remedy for many ailments: to resist infections, increase skin health, and combat insomnia, coughing, and thirst{{Citation needed|date=April 2011}}.
 ==Species==