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Schisandra Strengthens Your Liver and Increases Glutathione Production!

Anti-Aging Tonic Also Battles Stress
and Exhaustion

By now, everyone is familiar with the role antioxidants play in warding off disease and illness . . . and hopefully you’re including plenty of them in your diet and health regimen. But there’s always room for improvement, and some antioxidants are simply better than others. Schisandra is one of them, here’s why.

People at Stressful jobs.

Although Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis) is revered the world over as an adaptogen to improve the body’s ability to respond to stress, recover from exhaustion, and fight disease, recent studies have shown that it is a potent antioxidant that exerts a beneficial effect on the mitochondria—the powerhouse within every cell.

Historically schisandra has been used as a lung astringent and kidney tonic, to treat mental illness, night sweats, coughs, thirst, insomnia, chronic dysentery, and sexual dysfunction.1 Scientists attribute the herb’s unique healing abilities to these pharmacologically active constituents:

  • Lignans are anti-inflammatory, and appear to protect the liver by activating the enzymes in liver cells that produce glutathione, an important antioxidant substance.891011121314
  • Phytosterols are plant-based oils that appear to have a cholesterol-lowering effect.

Schisandra potentiates glutathione

Recent studies on laboratory animals show that schisandra increases glutathione levels, and provides:

  • protection against brain damage{refd2}34
  • enhanced immunity2
  • protection against the formation of cellular peroxides2
  • protection against cardiovascular disorders567
  • protection against toxins in the liver891011121314

What is glutathione?

Glutathione is the major antioxidant found in almost every cell that protects it from free radicals. Antioxidants give up an electron to stop oxidation. They play a key role in neutralizing the estimated 10,000 “oxidative hits” each cell suffers a day. In other words, antioxidants are able to destroy free radicals in body cells before they can attack DNA or cause lipids to oxidize, resulting in cellular death and/or mutation. If glutathione is in short supply, free radicals can overwhelm the cell, and consequently disease and illness sets in.

Free radicals are generated in the mitochondria—the powerhouse of each cell. They are unstable molecules that are missing an electron, and frantically bump into and damage other molecules in an effort to replace their lost electron. It is impossible to be alive and not have some oxidative damage, because free radicals are produced by normal processes in the body (like the release of adrenaline), and from environmental sources such as ultraviolet radiation, tobacco smoke, food additives, foods that have been fried in oil that’s been used over and over again (typical in many fast-food restaurants), and other pollutants. Once free radicals are released, they multiply geometrically in chain reactions, unless they are stopped by antioxidants.

Antioxidants not only protect living tissue, but they repair the damage of oxidation. Glutathione also has the ability to recycle other antioxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin E, keeping them in their active state.15

Glutathione helps the body get rid of toxins and pollutants

It forms a soluble compound with a toxin that can then be excreted through bodily waste. Many drug metabolites and heavy metals are disposed of in this way. Since the liver and kidneys have the greatest exposure to toxins, they contain high levels of glutathione. The lungs are also rich in glutathione.15

Helps regulate the cell’s vital funtions

Glutathione plays a crucial role in maintaining a normal balance between oxidation and anti-oxidation, (or free radicals and antioxidants). This, in turn, regulates many of the cell’s vital functions, such as the synthesis and repair of DNA, the synthesis of proteins, and the activation and regulation of enzymes.15 

Supports strong immune response

Glutathione is required in many of the intricate steps needed to carry out an immune response. For instance, it is used by lymphocytes to multiply in order to develop a strong immune response, and for killer T-cells to fight harmful cells such as cancer cells or cells infected with viruses. The importance of glutathione cannot be emphasized enough. It performs multiple tasks, as indicated, and when you start looking at each system or organ closely, the necessity for glutathione becomes increasingly evident.15

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This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult with a physician before embarking on a dietary supplement program.

References

  1. Shu HY. Oriental Materia Medica: A Concise Guide. Palos Verdes, CA: Oriental Healing Arts Press, 1986, 624–5.

    ↑

  2. Kim SR, et al. Dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans from Schisandra chinensis protect primary cultures of rat cortical cells from glutamate-induced toxicity. J Neurosci Res. 2004 May 1;76(3):397-405.

    Abstract ↑

  3. Ichikawa H, Wang X, Konishi T. Role of component herbs in antioxidant activity of shengmai san--a traditional Chinese medicine formula preventing cerebral oxidative damage in rat. Am J Chin Med. 2003;31(4):509-21.

    Abstract ↑

  4. Ko KM, Lam BY. Schisandrin B protects against tert-butylhydroperoxide induced cerebral toxicity by enhancing glutathione antioxidant status in mouse brain. Mol Cell Biochem. 2002 Sep;238(1-2):181-6.

    Abstract ↑

  5. Chiu PY, Ko KM. Time-dependent enhancement in mitochondrial glutathione status and ATP generation capacity by schisandrin B treatment decreases the susceptibility of rat hearts to ischemia-reperfusion injury. Biofactors. 2003;19(1-2):43-51.

    Abstract ↑

  6. Ko KM, Yiu HY. Schisandrin B modulates the ischemia-reperfusion induced changes in non-enzymatic antioxidant levels in isolated-perfused rat hearts. Mol Cell Biochem. 2001 Apr;220(1-2):141-7.

    Abstract ↑

  7. Yim TK, Ko KM. Schisandrin B protects against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury by enhancing myocardial glutathione antioxidant status. Mol Cell Biochem. 1999 Jun;196(1-2):151-6.

    Abstract ↑

  8. Tang MH, Chiu PY, Ko KM. Hepatoprotective action of schisandrin B against carbon tetrachloride toxicity was mediated by both enhancement of mitochondrial glutathione status and induction of heat shock proteins in mice. Biofactors. 2003;19(1-2):33-42.

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  9. Chiu PY, Tang MH, Mak DH, Poon MK, Ko KM. Hepatoprotective mechanism of schisandrin B: role of mitochondrial glutathione antioxidant status and heat shock proteins. Free Radic Biol Med. 2003 Aug 15;35(4):368-80.

    Abstract ↑

  10. Chiu PY, Mak DH, Poon MK, Ko KM. In vivo antioxidant action of a lignan-enriched extract of Schisandra fruit and an anthraquinone-containing extract of Polygonum root in comparison with schisandrin B and emodin. Planta Med. 2002 Nov;68(11):951-6.

    Abstract ↑

  11. Pan SY, Han YF, Carlier PR, Pang YP, Mak DH, Lam BY, Ko KM. Schisandrin B protects against tacrine- and bis(7)-tacrine-induced hepatotoxicity and enhances cognitive function in mice. Planta Med. 2002 Mar;68(3):217-20.

    Abstract ↑

  12. Ip SP, Yiu HY, Ko KM. . Schisandrin B protects against menadione-induced hepatotoxicity by enhancing DT-diaphorase activity. Mol Cell Biochem. 2000 May;208(1-2):151-5.

    Abstract ↑

  13. Ip SP, Yiu HY, Ko KM. Differential effect of schisandrin B and dimethyl diphenyl bicarboxylate (DDB) on hepatic mitochondrial glutathione redox status in carbon tetrachloride intoxicated mice. Mol Cell Biochem. 2000 Feb;205(1-2):111-4.

    Abstract ↑

  14. Ip SP, Poon MKT, Wu SS, et al. Effect of schisandrin B on hepatic glutathione antioxidant system in mice: Protection against carbon tetrachloride toxicity. Planta Med 1995;61:398–401.

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  15. Lomaestro B, Malone M. Glutathione in health and disease: Pharmacotherapeutic Issues. Ann Pharmacother 29: 1263-73,1995.

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  16. Ip SP, Poon MK, Che CT, Ng KH, Kong YC, Ko KM. Schisandrin B protects against carbon tetrachloride toxicity by enhancing the mitochondrial glutathione redox status in mouse liver. Free Radic Biol Med. 1996;21(5):709-12.

    Abstract ↑

  17. Macario AJ. Heat-shock proteins and molecular chaperones: implications for pathogenesis, diagnostics, and therapeutics. Int J Clin Lab Res. 1995;25(2):59-70.

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  18. Chiu PY, Ko KM. Schisandrin B protects myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury partly by inducing Hsp25 and Hsp70 expression in rats. Mol Cell Biochem. 2004 Nov;266(1-2):139-44.

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  19. Brehkman, I. Man and Biologically Active Substances: the Effects of Drugs, Diet and Pollution on Health. Pergamon Press, NY, 1980.

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  21. Xue JY, Liu GT, Wei HL, Pan Y. Antioxidant activity of two dibenzocyclooctene lignans on the aged and ischemic brain in rats. Free Radic Biol Med. 1992;12(2):127-35.

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  22. Liu KT.Studies on fructus Schisandrae chinensis. Annex 12: Studies on fructus Schisandrae chinensis. Plenary lecture, World Health Organization (WHO) Seminar on the Use of Medicinal Plants in Health Care, Sept 1977, Tokyo, Japan. In: WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Final Report, November 1977, Manila, 101–121.

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  23. Chang HM, But P (eds). Pharmacology and Applications of Chinese Materia Medica Singapore: World Scientific, 1986.

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  28. Li X-Y. Bioactivity of neolignans from Fructus schisandrae. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 1991;86:31–37.

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  29. Liu G-T. Pharmacological actions and clinical use of Fructus schisandrae. Chin Med J. 1989;102:740–749.

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  30. Hancke, J. Burgos, R., Wikman, G. Schisandra chinesis, a potential phytodrug for recovery of sport horses. Fitoterapia. 1994, 65, No. 2.

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