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Wu Wei Zi五味子

Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus · Schisandra Fruit · Five-Flavour Berry · Northern Schisandra

Astringent Herbs 收涩药《神农本草经》

Overview

The dark red, wrinkled berry of northern schisandra, named for carrying all five flavours at once — sour and sweet dominate, with bitter, acrid and salty behind them. Warm and above all sour, it holds in what is escaping at three different levels: the Lung, where breath is leaking out as chronic cough and wheeze; the Kidney, where essence and fluid escape as seminal loss, night sweats and dawn diarrhoea; and the Heart, where the spirit will not settle. It is the gathering third of Sheng Mai San alongside Ren Shen and Mai Men Dong. Dry-frying softens the sourness on the stomach and makes it easier to extract; honey-prepared, it moistens the Lung and suits a dry, drawn-out cough.

Nature & Flavor

Sour, sweet · Warm

Channels

Lung · Heart · Kidney

Typical Dosage

3–6 g in decoction
五味子Photography for this entry is on its way.

Actions

4 core actions

  • Astringes the Lung, enriches the KidneyChronic cough and wheezing where the Lung has become weak and the Kidney no longer grasps the qi.
  • Generates fluid, contains sweatThirst and exhaustion after profuse sweating, spontaneous and night sweating; with Ren Shen 人参 and Mai Men Dong 麦门冬 in Sheng Mai San.
  • Secures essence, stops diarrhoeaSeminal emission and nocturnal discharge, and early-morning diarrhoea of Spleen–Kidney deficiency.
  • Quiets the Heart, settles the spiritPalpitations, irritability, poor sleep and dream-disturbed rest where Heart yin and blood are depleted.

In Formulas

Formulas containing Wu Wei Zi

Indications & Clinical Uses

  • Chronic cough and wheeze from Lung and Kidney deficiency
    - Sweating with thirst and exhaustion; night sweats
    - Seminal emission; dawn diarrhoea
    - Palpitations, insomnia and dream-disturbed sleep

Western Medical Keywords

Searchable condition terms

Chronic coughAsthmaInsomniaNight sweatsFatigue

Contraindications

Cautions

Sour and strongly securing: it is contraindicated at the start of an illness while an exterior pattern remains, in a new cough from external wind, in internal excess heat, and in the early eruptive stage of measles or a rash — securing too early keeps the pathogen in. Its warmth also makes it a poor fit for cough with thick yellow phlegm and heat. Two practical notes: the fruit is genuinely acidic and can aggravate reflux and gastritis, so take it after food; and schisandra lignans alter how the liver metabolises some medicines, so anyone taking a drug with a narrow safety margin — immunosuppressants in particular — should tell both prescriber and practitioner before using it. Note that this entry is Northern schisandra (Schisandrae chinensis Fructus,); Southern schisandra is a separate herb and is not interchangeable.

Contraindicated in pregnancy: No specific restriction — practitioner judgment applies.

For licensed practitioners’ reference only

References

  1. Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing《神农本草经》(classical source, public domain).
    2. Bensky, Clavey & Stöger. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, 3rd ed.
    3. 《中华人民共和国药典》.

Professional reference notice. Entries are scholarly references for licensed TCM practitioners and students — not medical advice, and not a recommendation to self-prescribe. Chinese herbal formulas should be used under the guidance of a qualified practitioner. Content is an original editorial compilation by Cura x Cura, cross-checked against the cited references.