schisandra and liver health

Schisandra is a woody vine native to eastern Asia. It winds around the trunks of trees, covering the branches. The white flowers produce small red berries. Traditionally, the berries are harvested in the fall, dried, and then ground to make the powdered medicinal herb. Schisandra, also known as wu-wei-wi and sometimes spelled with a “z” (Schizandra) has a long history of use in ancient Chinese medicine as an herb capable of promoting general well-being and enhancing vitality. From the fruit of schisandra, 7 active liver enzyme-lowering ingredients have been currently isolated. Schisandra fruit also contains various lignans, mainly schisandrins, which have been found to prevent liver damage, stimulate liver repair and preserve normal liver functioning. These properties appear to be related to the various anti-oxidant abilities of the schisandrins. Schisandra is one of the ingredients in Liver Combo from Nepatica.