Sphaerostema japonicum A.Gray (=S. chinensis); Schisandra chinensis var. rubriflora Franch. (=S. sphenanthera) Schisandraceae Five flavour fruit; magnolia vine; schizandra; Wuweizi. S. chinensis: Chinese magnolia vine; S. sphenanthera: Southern magnolia vine. The fruits of both S. chinensis and S. sphenanthera are known as Wuweizi, but since 2000 have been accepted by the Chinese Pharmacopoeia as two different herbal drugs, Bei-Wuweizi and Nan-Wuweizi, respectively. Schisandrae fructus Dried ripe fruits The major bioactive compounds in both species are lignans, the schisandrins, schisandrols and schisantherins (also known as gomisins and wuweizisus). The major components of S. chinensis are schisandrin, gomisin A, schisantherin B, γ-schisandrin and deoxyschisandrin, whereas the major constituents of S. sphenanthera are schisandrin A, schisandrin B, schisandrin C, schisandrol A, schisandrol B, schisantherin A and schisantherin B (Qin et al. 2014; Williamson et al. 2013). There are many others. Nortriterpenoids such as pre-schisanartanin and schindilactones have also been isolated from S. chinensis (Chan 2012; WHO 2007). Several Russian clinical studies have reported positive therapeutic effects of Schisandra preparations on psychogenic depression, or that associated with excessive fatigue and nervous exhaustion (Panossian and Wikman 2008).
Schisandra
Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill., S. sphenanthera Rehder & E.H.Wilson
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