Taste: sour, sweet, astringent; Nature: neutral. Enters Kidney, Bladder, and Large Intestine meridians.
Functions and Indications
Consolidates essence, reduces urination; astringes intestines to stop diarrhea. Used for seminal emission.
Contraindications
Contraindicated for those with real fire or pathogenic heat due to its astringent properties.Avoid consuming cucumber and pork liver when taking Schisandra chinensis. Indicated for: seminal emission, enuresis, frequent urination, metrorrhagia, leukorrhea, chronic diarrhea, and dysentery. Applications: 1. Seminal emission, enuresis, frequent urination, leukorrhea. This herb is sour and astringent, specializing in consolidation and astringency. It consolidates essence, reduces urination, and stops leukorrhea.It is suitable for: - Nocturnal emission and seminal leakage due to kidney deficiency and failure to secure the essence gate; - Enuresis and frequent urination due to bladder dysfunction; - Excessive vaginal discharge due to failure of the belt meridian to constrain. It can be used alone to prepare a paste for oral administration, such as Schisandra Fruit Paste (from Ming Yi Zhi Zhang); or combined with Euryale Seed for mutual reinforcement, such as the Water-Land Immortal Pill (from Ren Cun Tang Experience Formulas);or combined with kidney-tonifying astringents like Cuscuta seed, Psoralea seed, and Sepia bone. 2. Chronic diarrhea and dysentery. Entering the large intestine, it astringes the bowels to stop diarrhea.For spleen deficiency-induced chronic diarrhea or dysentery, it may be used alone as a concentrated decoction; or combined with Codonopsis, Atractylodes, Euryale seed, Schisandra, etc., as in Secret Essence Decoction (Jingyue Complete Works).
Furthermore, leveraging its astringent and consolidating properties, this herb may also be used for conditions such as metrorrhagia, rectal prolapse, and uterine prolapse.
【Dosage and Administration】Decocted. 6–12g.
【Classical References】
1. Shu Ben Cao: "Treats spleen-related diarrhea and dysentery, stops frequent urination, and astringes essence and qi."
2. Ben Cao Bei Yao: "Consolidates essence and retains qi; treats nocturnal emission, seminal leakage, and frequent diarrhea."
3. Ben Cao Qiu Zhen: "When fresh, it is sour and astringent; when ripe, sweet and astringent. Use it at the peak of ripeness when it achieves the subtle balance of mild sourness, sweetness, and astringency. Its astringency stops prolapse, its sweetness tonifies the middle, and its sourness consolidates yin. Thus it effectively treats nocturnal emissions, uterine bleeding, leukorrhea, and enuresis."
Dietary Therapy Value
[Usage] Decoct into soup, boil into paste, or incorporate into pills or powders.
[Formulas]
1. Schisandra Berry Paste: Schisandra berries (quantity flexible), remove thorns and seeds. Decoct in water until concentrated to a thin soup consistency. Take 1 spoonful each time with wine.
Originating from Thousand Gold Prescriptions and Universal Medical Formulas. This formula tonifies liver and kidney while astringing and consolidating.Indicated for dizziness, lower back soreness, nocturnal emissions, seminal leakage, urinary incontinence due to liver-kidney deficiency, or spleen deficiency with diarrhea.
2. Water-Land Immortal Pill: Simmer 120g Schisandra chinensis with adequate water into a paste. Grind 100g Euryale ferox into powder and mix with Schisandra paste to form pills.Take 6g each time with wine or warm water.
Derived from Hong Shi Ji Yan Fang. This formula uses Schisandra chinensis to consolidate the kidneys and astringe essence, while Euryale ferox seed tonifies the spleen and stops leukorrhea. Indicated for kidney deficiency or spleen-kidney deficiency with nocturnal emission, cloudy discharge, and female leukorrhea.