Originally published May 9 2008
Chinese Medicine: The Powerful Tonic Wu Wei Zi or “Five Taste Fruit”
by Christopher Gussa
(NaturalNews) The very name of Schizandrae, Wu Wei Zi, reveals the qualities of this amazing herb. In the Chinese language, Wu Wei Zi means "Five Taste Fruit." When consumed, you can literally taste all five flavors at once (sour, bitter, sweet, spicy and salty). This relates to the essence of all five of the elemental energies (wood, fire, earth, metal and water), and therefore addresses the five major organ systems of the body. Schizandra also develops the primary energies of life by addressing all three of "The Three Treasures", (http://plantcures.com/big3.html) . This is of course of great benefit to the body of anyone who consumes it.
Adaptogenic Qualities:
Schizandrae (http://plantcures.com//wuweizi.html) is considered to be one of the premier adaptogen herbs. Like Ginseng, Acanthopanax, Gynostemma, He Shou Wu, Reishi Mushrooms and many others, Schizandra increases resistance of the body and mind against nonspecific stimuli. It can protect the body from damage due to extreme or chronic stress. In particular, it can protect the liver and adrenals and prevent atrophy due to extreme stress.
This safe yet very powerful tonic herb has calming energies and possesses some pain-alleviating properties yet it is also considered a central nervous system stimulant. This testifies to its broad range of balance throughout the entire body. In fact, Wu Wei Zi is considered to be one of the best tonics for the mind used to sharpen concentration, improve memory and increase alertness. However, unlike many central nervous system stimulants, Schizandra does not produce nervousness at all. Many people consider Schizandrae to be mildly "calming" while still producing wakefulness and improved focus.
One of the things I always loved about it in my clinical practice was that it can boost the desperately needed immune factors in auto-immune diseases without igniting the immune system at all.
Effects on Skin and "Beauty":
Schizandrae is often used to both beautify the skin and to protect the skin from the damaging effects of the sun and wind. Due to the astringent quality of Schizandra, the skin tends to hold its moisture much better and becomes full and beautiful. It is said in China that those who use Schizandra consistently will remain youthful in appearance and in general strength and vitality.
Schizandrae is always found in any of the classic TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) formulas for beauty as it has been demonstrated to generate vitality and radiant beauty when used regularly for some time. If used for about 100 days successively, Schizandrae is demonstrated to purify the blood, sharpen the mind, improve memory, rejuvenate the Kidney energy and improve the sexual energy and functions in both men and women. Through its wonderful tonic effect on the lungs it can cause the skin to become radiantly beautiful with a very noticeable healthy underlining pink tone. Its astringent effect helps to lessen wrinkles and provides a firm yet soft texture to the touch. It can also greatly benefit the hair and nails and is wonderful for this when combined with my personal favorite tonic herb, He Shou Wu (http://plantcures.com/foti.html) .
Schizandrae's "Aphrodisiac" Qualities:
The "aphrodisiac" qualities (for both men and women), especially when combined with other Kidney tonifying herbs like Epimedium (http://plantcures.com/tonicsex.html) etc., are quite remarkable. Schizandrae is one of the most important astringent herbs used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. This powerful astringent herb conserves fluids, and tends to contain sexual fluids until the appropriate time of release. Thus, consuming Schizandrae for a period of time, one tends to build up sexual fluids. This is as important to women as it is men in the sexual act as it sets up the experience for great excitement. However, Schizandrae is used in many sexual formulations for men to prevent premature ejaculation and to help promote endurance.
Cleansing:
Schizandrae is also one of the primary cleansing tonic herbs used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Along with Reishi Mushroom, it is one of the primary liver cleansing agents used in China. Schizandrae does not have the mechanical colon cleansing side effects that are associated with many of the American "medicinal," or other liver cleansing herbs yet it is demonstrated that by taking Schizandrae regularly, one can rid the body of toxins before they have a chance to do serious damage. The alcohol extracts of Schizandra are shown to protect the liver from damage due to the toxic world we all live in. (Alcohol is so useful in carrying healing herbs to the liver for many of the same reasons that its abuse is so harmful to the liver.)
Longevity:
Schizandrae is among the most popular tonic herbs in Asia used for longevity and is often found pictured in ancient art as a symbol of longevity, and even the ability to attain "immortality." Well, OK, that may be a bit of folk-lore and exaggeration but there has to have been at least a truly large longevity factor for these images to have ever been recorded in this way.
Chemical "Scientific" Knowledge:
Although I do not consider the breaking down of molecular components useful for anything but "pharma-interest", here are the Chemical findings:
The fruit of Schizandrae chinensis contains numerous lignins, schizandrins A, B and C, deoxyschizandrin, g-schizandrin, pseudo-g-schizandrin, schizandrol and Schizandra esters. Fructus Schizandra contains approximately 3% volatile oil. It also contains vitamins C and E, citral, b-sitosterol and citric acid. Remember, these are all they can identify. There are likely thousands of others.
True Useful Scientific Findings:
Schizandrae has been found to induce the production in human beings of g-interferon.
Schizandrae has been demonstrated in laboratory animals and in humans to have a stimulant action on the central nervous system. The herb works directly on the nervous tissue. Many studies now indicate that Schizandra actually has a powerful balancing, or regulating, action on the central nervous system. It can result in accurate and optimal balancing between the excitatory and inhibitory control functions of the cerebral cortex.
It has been demonstrated that human intellectual activity can be enhanced and work efficiency increased by consuming Schizandra. Various tests have shown that moderate therapeutic doses of Schizandra can improve various activities requiring concentration, fine coordination, sensitivity and endurance. The tests in humans confirming Schizandra's efficacy in these areas range from threading needles to running marathons.
Human studies have also shown that Schizandrae can improve vision, even enlarging the field of vision, and can improve hearing. It also improves the discrimination ability of the skin receptors. It has been determined that this increased sensitivity is due to improved function of the central nervous system's ability to analyze data flowing to it from the peripheral sensors
Schizandrae has been shown to have significant respiratory strengthening capacity. It can cause the breathing to be both deeper and more powerful. Schizandra also has significant expectorant and antitussive properties.
Schizandrae has been shown to have significant hepatic protective effects. It can promote the regeneration of liver tissue, and promotes protein synthesis, nucleic acid synthesis. It is believed that the protective action of Schizandrae is partly due to its ability to promote the regeneration of mitochondria in hepatic cells. Also, it can improve the function of the cell membrane, lowering its permeability which in turn minimizes enzyme leakage into the blood stream.
It can reduce elevated SGPT in patients with chronic hepatitis. In a clinical study conducted in China, more than 5000 people suffering from various types of hepatitis were given Schizandra and the results were very good. The aggregate effective rate was 84-97.9% . SGPT was normalized in about 75% of the cases.
In another clinical study, Schizandrae was proved to be very effective in treating various neurotic symptoms, including insomnia, headache, dizziness, blurred vision, palpitations and nocturnal emission. It has even been used in cases of psychosis, with symptoms of hallucination, paranoia and neurosis, with good results.
About the author
Christopher Gussa founded Plant Cures Inc. which handcrafts over 150 Serious Herbal Medicine Products for Specific Disorders all created through clinical application. Their products are for Serious Disease and also Powerful Tonic Health. Please visit Plant Cures at WWW.PLANTCURES.COM or call them at 1-800 979 2027
Christopher Gussa is a formulator of Natural Medicine. He is also a TCM practitioner and Certified Master / Clinical Herbalist for 30 years. He is certified in both Western Herbal Therapy and Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine.
Chris Gussa: "Plant Cures is currently working with over 9,000 medicinal plants to bring about healing through the true science of combining the whole energies of whole plants. A plants energy is from its whole part. (flowers, fruit, leaves, stems, roots etc) While the "science" of seeing some of the isolated molecular constituents in food and herbs can be interesting at times, there is no "one magic ingredient" in any plant. (You would think it would be science trying to tell you this type of logic, instead of me) But no! They would rather play this childish game of trying to find the "Pot of gold" in a plant so they can synthesize it and dazzle the FDA with a "New Drug" that will most likely cause the usual death and destruction!
Here is a link to musicial message called "Pharmaceutical Drug Guys" Let's Give Big Pharma The Boot!
http://plantcures.com/PharmaGuys.mp3
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