Table 1.

Summary of the pharmacological effects and biological analysis of Schisandra chinensis Fructus (SCF) and its active ingredients. BDNF—brain-derived neurotrophic factor; CREB—cAMP-response element binding protein; PI3K—phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; GSK—glycogen synthase kinase; TLS—total lignans of SCF; SCH—schisandrin; ICO—α-isocubebenol; STA—schisantherin A; GSH—glutathione; NO—nitric oxide; ERK—extracellular signal-regulated kinase; NE—norepinephrine; MAPK—mitogen-activated protein kinases; TRAF6—tumor necrosis factor-associated factor 6; IKK—inhibitory kappa B kinase; NF-κB—nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB; Jak2/Stat3—Janus kinase-2/signal transducer and activator of transcription-3; GLT-1—glutamate transporter type 1; NADPH—nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate; JNK—c-Jun NH2-terminal kinases; RAGE—receptors for advanced glycation end products; ROS—reactive oxygen species.

SCF and Its Active Ingredients	Pharmacological Activity	Biological Analysis	Key References
SCF	Anti-oxidant	GSH antioxidant response	[20,21]
	Modulate BDNF related pathways	BDNF, TrkB/CREB/ERK and PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β pathways	[22,23]
	Regulate neurotransmitters	NE activity	[24]
		Neurotransmitters activities	[25]
TLS	Anti-oxidant	Mitochondrial function	[26]
		GSH antioxidant response	[27]
	Anti-apoptosis	Bcl-2 expression	[26]
		Bcl-2 and Bax expression	[28]
	Anti-inflammatory	NO activity	[29]
		MAPKs signaling	[26]
Sch A	Anti-oxidant	GSH antioxidant response	[30]
	Anti-apoptosis	ERK, JNK, Caspase-3 signaling	[31]
	Anti-inflammatory	TRAF6/IKKβ/NF-κB and Jak2/Stat3 signaling pathways	[32]
Sch B	Anti-oxidant	ACh activity	[33]
		GSH antioxidant response	[34]
		GLT-1 and GSK3β activities	[35]
		ROS, NADPH oxidase activity	[36]
	Anti-apoptosis	Caspase-3, HSP70, beclin-1 expression	[37]
	Anti-inflammatory	RAGE, NF-κB, MAPKs signaling	[37]
		PPAR-γ activity	[38]
		MyD88/IKK/NF-κB signaling pathway	[36]
		TNF-α, IL-1β activities	[39]
Sch C	Anti-apoptosis	JNK/Caspase-3 signaling	[40]
	Anti-inflammatory	cAMP/PKA/CREB and Nrf-2 signaling	[41]
STA	Anti-oxidant	MAPKs, PI3K/Akt and GSK3β signaling	[42]
		GSH antioxidant response	[43]
	Anti-apoptosis	Bcl-2 expression and PI3K/Akt signaling	[44]
		JNK/Caspase-3 signaling	[40]
SCH	Anti-oxidant	GSH antioxidant response	[45]
	Regulate neurotransmitters	Neurotransmitters and their metabolites effects	[46]
Schizandrol B	Anti-apoptosis	JNK/Caspase-3 signaling	[40]
ICO	Anti-oxidant	ROS and calcium accumulation	[47]
	Anti-apoptosis	CREB/Nrf-2 signaling	[47]
		Bcl-2 and Bax expression	[48]
	Anti-inflammatory	NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways	[49]
Gomisin A	Anti-oxidant	ROS, NADPH oxidase activity	[50]
	Anti-apoptosis	CYP3A activity	[51]
	Anti-inflammatory	TLR4 mediated NF-κB and MAPKs pathways	[50]
Gomisin N	Anti-inflammatory	Inflammatory responses and neural activation	[52]
Nigranoic acid	Modulate BDNF related pathways	ERK1/2, Ca2+-CaMKII pathways, BDNF activity	[53]