Schisandra is one of the truly famous adaptogenic herbs. These herbs "normalize" stress reactions so that regardless of the starting point, i.e., hyper or hypo, the energies are brought into more balance. The berries are particularly prized for their liver benefits, and like many liver herbs, they support beautiful skin. They are considered to aid both mental and sexual function . . . well, this is truly an adaptogen. Studies suggest that schisandra buffers the stress of a wide variety of insults to the body, everything from frostbite to heavy metal exposure.