wu wei zi

五味子·Fructus Schisandrae

Chinese magnolivine fruit

About wu wei zi

Wu Wei Zi (五味子) is the fruit of schisandra, recorded as Fructus Schisandrae Chinensis. It is sour and sweet in flavour and warm in temperature, entering the Heart, Lung and Kidney channels. Its Chinese name reads as five-flavour fruit.

Names

Pinyinwu wei zi
Chinese五味子
Latin NameFructus Schisandrae·Fructus Schisandrae Chinensis·Fructus Schisandrae Chinesis
English NameChinese magnolivine fruit·Chinese magnolivine fruit; schisandra·schisandra·Schisandra Fruit
Japanesegomishi
Koreanomija

Classification

Channels
Lung, Heart, Kidney
Flavour
Sweet, Sour
Temperature
Warm
Part used
Fruit
Family
Magnoliaceae
Species
schisandra chinensis
Tags
Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Astringes Lung Qi and stops cough

  • Long-standing cough and wheezing when Lung Qi, or both Lungs and Kidneys, are deficient

Tonifies the Kidneys, secures Jing and stops diarrhea and spermatorrhea

  • Seminal emission, spermatorrhea, vaginal discharge and frequent urination from Kidney deficiency
  • Daybreak diarrhea from Spleen and Kidney deficiency

Astringes sweat and generates Fluids

  • Heavy sweating, above all with thirst or a dry throat
  • Spontaneous sweating and night sweats
  • Xiao Ke (wasting and thirsting disorder), in combination with other herbs

Calms the Spirit and holds in Heart Qi

  • Irritability, palpitations, insomnia and dream-disturbed sleep from deficient Blood and Yin of the Heart and Kidneys
  • Heart and Kidney disharmony

Tonifies Qi

  • Deficient Qi of the Heart and Spleen

Combinations

Dosage

AgeRawGranuleTinctureConcentrateFrequency
Any 1.5-9g; Tincture: 2-4ml; (1-2ml for chronic cough); (6-9g as a tonic)1.5-9 g2-4 ml

Cautions

Interactions

Drug interactions

Prepared forms (1)

wu wei zi Cu Zhi

五味子·Fructus Schisandrae

Wu Wei Zi (Cu Zhi) (五味子) is wu wei zi processed with vinegar, the fruit of schisandra, recorded as Fructus Schisandrae Chinensis. The record carries its names and nothing further: no category, no channels, no actions.

The catalogue records no separate actions, dose or cautions for this preparation. Unless noted above it follows wu wei zi.