Maximowiczia in the mix

A few days ago, I made my way through the aisles of one of the local groceries, and I thought to look for licorice. We'd just run out of the licorice root that I'd brought with me from Seattle (a year ago). Yes, I travel with bags of herbs -- don't you?

Anyhow, I found some specimens that looked and certainly smelled like licorice. There were some packages of tiny red berries nearby that I thought might be from hawthorn trees. Hawthorn berries are a good heart/circulatory tonic.

Of course, both packages were marked in Korean -- so I just took what I had, knowing that there'd be a benefit in having them, even if they weren't what I wanted.

감 초 (gamcho) was indeed licorice. 오 미 자 (omija) were schisandra berries, not hawthorns... and that's just fine.


"Schisandra chinensis is a woody vine that bears numerous clusters of tiny, bright red berries. The plant is found throughout northern and north-east China (especially in Jilin, Lianoning, Heilongliang and Hebei) and the adjacent regions of Russia and Korea. The fully ripe, sun-dried fruit is used medicinally.

"Schisandra has a mixture of sour, sweet, salty, hot, and bitter tastes. This unusual combination of flavors is reflected in its Chinese name wu-wei-zi (五味子), meaning "five-taste fruit." Other names for schisandra are Schisandra japonica, Maximowiczia chinensis and Kadsura chinensis.

The primary benefits of Schisandra chinensis:

* Increases physical and mental performance
* Increases acuity of vision and hearing
* Decreases eye fatigue in tasks requiring extended visual concentration
* Improves concentration and attention
* Increases physical and mental performance
* Restores strength after severe and prolonged exertion, and in convalescence from disease
* Strengthens muscular and speed abilities in sport exercises
* Helps the body withstand such stress factors as heat, cold, noise, emotional overloads, etc.
* Is successfully used in integrated programs for the treatment of gastrointestinal and communicable diseases, and some mental conditions

Also note:

"The main effects of adaptogens are an increased availability of energy during the day, a reduction of stress feelings, increased endurance, greater mental alertness, and deep and restful sleep. Also, adaptogens significantly accelerate the recovery process after illness."