Schizandra, the Chinese herb that does "everything"

[Encephalon]

[Trunk]

The following is a cut/paste job from Ron Teeguarden's website Dragonherbs.com.

Ron T. has a romantic notion of herbs. Certainly a fair amount of what he says is true, but it lacks the balance that is displayed in the more medically oriented texts. Probably a safe assumption that what is written at his site is written with the intent to sell.

 

the english-speaking medical standard

 

In short, for any of the astringents, you should not be taking them if you have a pathogenic influence present. The astringents seal and draw inward. Can be really good and restorative for a relatively healthy individual, but if you're sick or dealing with a toxin then it'll trap that and draw it deeper into your system.

[Taomeow]

Ron T. has a romantic notion of herbs. Certainly a fair amount of what he says is true, but it lacks the balance that is displayed in the more medically oriented texts.

 

 

In short, for any of the astringents, you should not be taking them if you have a pathogenic influence present. The astringents seal and draw inward. Can be really good and restorative for a relatively healthy individual, but if you're sick or dealing with a toxin then it'll trap that and draw it deeper into your system.

It's WAY more than an "astringent." Matter of fact, any herbal infusion in alcohol is an astringent. Any one of them. An infusion of schizandra in water is about as astringent as lemonade, and the berry itself is less astringent than ordinary lemon.

 

There's a lot of research that has been done on it in Russia under the broader category of "adaptogens," spanning many decades. One stellar application that transpired is support of the white blood cell count in people undergoing chemo for cancer. I've seen it used this way with spectacular results. Usually white blood cells drop dangerously below the norm in chemo patients, which is why they are so prone to deadly infections. Schizandra counteracts this effect of chemo superbly, maintaining WBC within the normal range in many cases, without interfering with the treatment itself, unlike modern drugs used for the purpose (survival rates are even lower among people whose WBC was artificially maintained with those drugs than among those who didn't get them, according to a British study I saw.)

In China, they use a combo of conventional Western and traditional herbal methods in many hospitals with better results than any one of them alone (cancer is surprisingly resistant to natural-only interventions, contrary to popular romantic beliefs of new age derivation, and there's really not much on it in TCM, perhaps because it used to be exceedingly rare in China when TCM was in full swing. There's way more on it in Ayurveda though, which makes me wonder...) Schizandra is usually part of those herbal formulas.

[NeiChuan]

Hm very cool =), thanks bud.

 

 

 

 

I ordered some herbs just a bit from them, taking FOREVER.

[gendao]

[Trunk]

In Chinese herbal medicine, herbs are categorized. Schizandra is in the category of herbs that "Stabalize and Bind (astringents)". Doesn't mean that that's all that Schiz aka wu wei zi does.

[glooper23]

How long on average does it take to notice the effects?

[Encephalon]

How long on average does it take to notice the effects?

 

Schizandra develops the primary energies of life, and generates vitality and radiant beauty when used regularly for some time. If used for 100 days successively, Schizandra is said to purify the blood, sharpen the mind, improve memory, rejuvenate the Kidney energy (especially the sexual functions in both men and women), and cause the skin to become radiantly beautiful.

[Taomeow]

In Chinese herbal medicine, herbs are categorized. Schizandra is in the category of herbs that "Stabalize and Bind (astringents)". Doesn't mean that that's all that Schiz aka wu wei zi does.

"Stabilize and bind" is equated to "astringents" in the version you're looking at? Hmm... Western herbalists equate "contracts tissues" and "astringents." This has always been my understanding too. I will check my Kaptchuk/Belsky's translaton of TCM Materia Medica and get back to you.

[glooper23]

Schizandra develops the primary energies of life, and generates vitality and radiant beauty when used regularly for some time. If used for 100 days successively, Schizandra is said to purify the blood, sharpen the mind, improve memory, rejuvenate the Kidney energy (especially the sexual functions in both men and women), and cause the skin to become radiantly beautiful.

 

Thanks.

[DanC]

I like cordyceps or reishi, cordyceps are perfect as they are a ying and yang tonic, really good for the kidneys and energy production...

[brandondaemon]

schizandra is one of my favorite tonics, right up there with reishi, lycium, cordyceps, and deer antler.

 

ive been doing these tonics pretty heavily for the past few years and i have seen pretty dramatic results.

 

i feel as tho i am getting my jing back. like in taoism they speak of returning to being like a child.

 

i feel like this is happening with my health and vitality. the herbs really work, but the more you work on yourself, the more they work with you.

 

i could go on all day about these herbs - ive made countless youtube videos on these and other tonic herbs like rehamannia, ho shou wu, gynostemma. etc.

 

check it out if you want to learn more and converse more about the tonics.

 

http://youtube.com/herbgardner00

[NeiChuan]

schizandra is one of my favorite tonics, right up there with reishi, lycium, cordyceps, and deer antler.

 

ive been doing these tonics pretty heavily for the past few years and i have seen pretty dramatic results.

 

i feel as tho i am getting my jing back. like in taoism they speak of returning to being like a child.

 

i feel like this is happening with my health and vitality. the herbs really work, but the more you work on yourself, the more they work with you.

 

i could go on all day about these herbs - ive made countless youtube videos on these and other tonic herbs like rehamannia, ho shou wu, gynostemma. etc.

 

check it out if you want to learn more and converse more about the tonics.

 

http://youtube.com/herbgardner00

 

 

Lol you almost made me think you were a different youtube blogger I know. What would be the chances though? lol =D

Edited February 3, 2010 by NeiChuan

[brandondaemon]

schizandra is one of my favorite tonics, right up there with reishi, lycium, cordyceps, and deer antler.

 

ive been doing these tonics pretty heavily for the past few years and i have seen pretty dramatic results.

 

i feel as tho i am getting my jing back. like in taoism they speak of returning to being like a child.

 

i feel like this is happening with my health and vitality. the herbs really work, but the more you work on yourself, the more they work with you.

 

i could go on all day about these herbs - ive made countless youtube videos on these and other tonic herbs like rehamannia, ho shou wu, gynostemma. etc.

 

check it out if you want to learn more and converse more about the tonics.

 

http://youtube.com/herbgardner00

 

hah! is his name zak?

 

either way , let me know who this guy is if he's talking about tonic herbs.

[Eto]

I know this topic is old, but I just gotta concur with Trunks comment on this unbalanced view of Chinese herbs. With more and more Chinese herbs being introduced to the West I think its important to keep in mind that all these herbs have certain qualities, and few if any "do everything". Thats why the Chinese make herbal prescriptions, so the herb you take will become balanced and be effective in reaching whatever goal you have by taking that herb.

 

Schisandra IS classified as astringent.

 

Actions】

Astringe lung to treat cough and asthma and nourish kidney, promote body fluid, constrain perspiration, astringe essence, stop diarrhea, nourish heart, calm the mind.

 

Application】

1. Wuweizi is used for chronic cough and dyspnea resulting from asthenia.

2. For thirst due to consumption of body fluids, spontaneous perspiration, and night sweat.

3. For emission, spermatorrhea and chronic diarrhea.

4. For insufficiency of heart-blood and kidney-yin.

5. For chronic hepatitis with elevateon of serum transominase.

 

http://www.tcmoo.com/html/2009-08/538.html

 

Yes, it's good for the kidney yin or jing, but it also has many other effects that you have to take into concideration.

 

Don't take health tips from these irresponsible/ignorant businessmen. If you want to use herbs for health, get a materia medica and study their properties. Then get the stuff directly from the manufacturers in China via. alibaba.com for literally one hundredth of the price.

[Zhongyongdaoist]

First, I have to agree with those who are more conservative about this herb. From the material quoted from Teegarden's site, it sounds like it is taken from his book, Chinese Tonic Herbs, which was one of the first genuinely informative books on Chinese herbalism that I read. However, based on my experience since then (circa 1990), I have to say that Teegarden is not at all realistic in his basic attitude of tonify, tonify and tonify some more. For the vast majority of Westerners this a 'prescription' for disaster because most westerners and especially Americans, who eat and drink way to much cold foodstuffs, not to mention the effects of antibiotic use, etc. are seriously out of balance and need to rebalance before they can do heavy tonification.

 

Second, I have to agree with those who are not keen on lifting Chinese herbs out of their traditional context. Ginseng should not be added to soft drinks, this is simply a waste of ginseng. Not only will it not do much good, but in a person with certain types of imbalances it can lead to severe headaches. The worst case was the misappropriation of mahuang, ephedra, as an appetite suppressant, because it is a stimulant. This apparently lead to some real problems, which would not have happened if it had been used according to traditional usage.

 

For almost 20 years now I have recommended Between Heaven and Earth by Harriet Beinfield and Efrem Korngold, a book which is not only a good introduction to the theory and practice of Chinese medicine, but most importantly has a questionnaire that will help someone discover whether they need to do some balancing before they start to tonify. There is also an interesting section on Chinese Therapeutic cooking with some good recipes. I have actually tried some of them. Some of these herbs actually taste good and the authors have a section of those Chinese herbs that are tasty enough to eat and recipes that include them. Schisandra is one of them.

 

If you live in a city with a large Asian population Schisandra can often be bought in a Chinese or other Asian ethnic markets, otherwise there are a lot of online sources who may be more reliable than it sounds Teegarden is.

 

Good luck with your herbal studies.