Schisandra chinensis (TURCZ.) BAILL., originally a Japanese-Manchurian endemite, yields a vegetable drug (Schisandrae fructus) with a number of very utilizable therapeutic effects. The paper reports the results of phytochemical and pharmacological-toxicological studies approximately from the year 1990 carried out both with the drug and, in particular, the principal isolated lignans of the dibenzo[a,c]cyclooctadiene type. The results confirm the validity of the historical use of the drug, in particular as a hepatoprotective, adaptogenic, and antioxidative agent. It is obvious that a very positive therapeutic effect based on the use of a complex mixture of its principal constituents because their biological effects are complementary and potentiate each other. At the same time, some lignans (e.g. gomisin A, gomisin N) are interesting as new prospective medicines.

        Key words: Schisandra chinensis - Schisandrae fructus -constituents - lignans of dibenzo[a,c]cyclooctadiene type - biological activity - toxicological study