Schisandra chinensis: A comprehensive review on its phytochemicals and biological activities

Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill is a climbing plant widely distributed in the northeastern part of China, Korea, and Japan, and used in traditional Chinese herb as a tonic, antitussive, and sedative agent. This review focuses on the phytochemicals, biological activities and analytical methods, in order to promote further studies on the plant. 202 chemical compounds have been isolated and identified from this plant, and the most important are dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans and triterpenoids. The isolated compounds of S. chinensis were shown to possess anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory activities and so on. Further studies should be carried on this plant in order to disclose many more active principles and mechanisms of active components.