Schisandra: Benefits, Side Effects and Drug Interactions

Schisandra is the small red berry of Schisandra chinensis, a climbing vine used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is called wu wei zi, or five-flavor fruit. Today it is sold as a standalone supplement and as one ingredient in multi-herb formulas, often marketed as an adaptogen. Human research is thin: a handful of small randomized trials, mostly from Korea, reported changes in leg strength and menopausal symptom scores, but none is large enough to settle much. The most practical point is safety. Schisandra can raise blood levels of the transplant drug tacrolimus and may affect other medicines processed by the same liver enzymes.

Peptide Labs does not sell a standalone schisandra supplement. One multi-ingredient formula we carry lists schisandra berry extract and is described below with its label facts only. This article is general information, not medical advice.

What is schisandra?

Memorial Sloan Kettering’s About Herbs database lists two species sold under the name: Schisandra chinensis, the main one in supplements, and the closely related Schisandra sphenanthera. Common names include wu wei zi in Chinese, omija in Korean, gomishi in Japanese, five flavor berry and schizandra. The name refers to a taste described as sweet, sour, salty, bitter and pungent at once. In Korea, the dried schisandra berry is also brewed as a tea.

Traditional uses listed by MSKCC include coughs, stomach and liver complaints, sweating and fatigue, plus stamina and menopausal symptoms. A 2008 review by Panossian and Wikman describes how schisandra gained official status in Soviet medicine in the early 1960s as an “adaptogen,” a term for herbs said to help the body resist stress, and was included in the USSR’s national pharmacopoeia. Much of that older research was done in animals. The berry’s main bioactive compounds are lignans, a group that includes schisandrin and gomisins. For related herbs sold with the same label, see our guides to rhodiola, ashwagandha and ginseng.

Schisandra benefits: what human studies tested

MSKCC sums up the evidence plainly: studies in humans are limited, and most findings come from laboratory and animal work. A 2019 review in Nutrients listed many possible effects, but they came largely from cell lines and experimental animals. These are the randomized, placebo-controlled human trials that are easiest to check:

Each trial was small, short and run in a single country, usually with a specific proprietary extract. None has been repeated at a larger scale, and results from one extract do not automatically apply to another product. Read these as early signals, not proof that schisandra benefits anyone in particular.

Does schisandra help with weight loss?

The one trial that looked at body weight found no significant difference from placebo after 12 weeks. The weight-related claims seen online rest on animal and cell studies. Our review of whether fat burners work covers the broader picture for herbal weight-loss ingredients.

Schisandra side effects

MSKCC states that no serious side effects have been reported, although schisandra is not well studied in humans; minor events such as sleepiness were noted in one trial. In the 2021 muscle trial, none of the participants reported adverse events. Short, small trials cannot detect rare problems, so absence of reports is not the same as proven safety.

• Lab tests: MSKCC notes schisandra can lower certain liver enzyme values on blood tests, so tell your clinician before blood work.
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding: there are no reliable human safety data, and older animal research described effects on uterine muscle activity. Avoid it unless your prenatal provider advises otherwise.
• Children: not studied; do not give schisandra products to children without a pediatrician’s advice.
• Surgery and procedures: tell your care team about every herbal product you take.

Drug interactions: the main caution

Lab studies show schisandra compounds can inhibit CYP3A4 and CYP3A5, liver enzymes that break down many medicines, as well as P-glycoprotein, a transporter that moves drugs out of cells. MSKCC advises people taking drugs handled by CYP1A2, CYP3A4, CYP3A5 or P-glycoprotein to avoid schisandra, while noting that the clinical relevance for most drugs is not yet known.

The clearest human evidence involves tacrolimus, an anti-rejection drug. In a 2017 study of kidney transplant recipients in China, an extract of Schisandra sphenanthera raised tacrolimus blood levels so much that the amount of tacrolimus needed fell by about 41%. A 2022 study in healthy volunteers also found slower tacrolimus clearance, and MSKCC lists raised tacrolimus levels in liver transplant patients. For drugs with a narrow safety margin, that kind of change matters.

If you take a transplant drug, a blood thinner, seizure medicine, heart rhythm medicine, hormonal contraception or any prescription, ask your pharmacist before trying schisandra. Our guides to CBD drug interactions and St. John’s wort explain how enzyme-related interactions work for other popular botanicals.

Schisandra in multi-ingredient products

Schisandra often appears as one ingredient among many. JSHealth Detox + Debloat, which we carry, is a 60-tablet formula that lists schisandra berry extract with organic fennel seed, turmeric, milk thistle, dandelion root, taurine, glutamine, inositol, glycine, choline and molybdenum. Its label asks pregnant or nursing mothers, anyone under 18 and people with a medical condition or taking medication to consult a physician first, and to speak with a health professional if they take any medication, including the oral contraceptive pill. Schisandra is a minor part of this formula, so the trials above, which tested standalone extracts, do not describe what the product does. For the other herbs it contains, see our guides to milk thistle and fennel.

How to read a schisandra label

1. Check the species. Schisandra chinensis and Schisandra sphenanthera are related but not identical.
2. Check the plant part. Most products use the fruit, sometimes called the berry.
3. Look for whether it is a whole-berry powder or an extract, and whether the extract is standardized to lignans or schisandrins.
4. Read proprietary blends with caution; they show the total weight of the blend, not the amount of each herb.
5. Look for an independent quality seal, explained in our guide to third-party tested supplements.
6. Remember that the FDA does not approve supplements before they are sold, and claims such as “supports stress response” have not been evaluated by the FDA.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting any supplement, especially if you take medicines. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Last reviewed October 2026.

Related guides: Rhodiola Rosea: Benefits, Side Effects and How to Read the Label, Ashwagandha Benefits, Side Effects and Safety: What Studies Show.