Vitex agnus-castus
is the
scientific name for the plant
commonly referred to as
chasteberry, Vitex, or
Monk's pepper. Chasteberry is a
member of the Verbenaceae family. [1] This medicinal plant is native to
the Mediterranean and Central Asia
where it has a long history of use
by herbal healers, including Hippocrates and Dioscorides. Ancient uses
for chasteberry included
birth control and suppression of
libido, especially in monks.
Botanically, chasteberry plants
appear as a deciduous perennial
shrub, which grow to heights between
6 and 25 feet. [2] The fruit of the plant is primarily
used and appears as tiny black
peppercorns, possessing a
pepper-like aroma and flavor. The
leaves are occasionally used
medicinally and appear as 2 - 6 inch
long leaflets that are dark green
above and gray underneath. Slender
spikes of lavender/blue flowers are
sometimes used in medicines as
well.
Chasteberry
contains a number of active
constituents, most of which are
found in other plants. The only
unique component that has been
identified solely in chasteberry is an iridoid glycoside
called agnuside. [3] Other active constituents include
flavonoids (castican, orientin
and isovitexin); iridoid glycosides
(aucubin and eurostoside); volatile
oils (0.8 - 1.6%): terpenoids
(cineole, sabinene, limonene,
camphene), a- and b-pinene; and
3-ketosteroids; likely progesterone, and 17-hydroxyprogesterone.
Much of the research
on the pharmacology of vitex
focuses on the effects of this plant
upon the pituitary gland. Studies have
shown that vitex can inhibit
prolactin production by binding to
dopamine receptors found in the
pituitary gland. [4,
5]
Inhibition of prolactin synthesis
effects the female reproductive
system by enhancing growth of the
corpus luteum, thereby increasing
progesterone levels. [6] Furthermore, vitex has also
demonstrated effects on anterior
pituitary production of luteinizing hormone (LH) and
follicle stimulating hormone (FSH).
Vitex increases LH
production, inhibits FSH
production, resulting in a relative
increase in progesterone and a
decrease in estrogen in women. [7]
In men, it appears that testosterone is decreased.
Knowledge of the
pharmacology of vitex is useful in
the treatment of many disorders
related to hormonal imbalances,
specifically in progesterone
deficiencies and luteal phase defects. These conditions include; acne, dysmenorrhea, endometrial
hyperplasia, endometriosis,
infertility, insufficient lactation,
menopausal syndrome, menorrhagia,
metrorrhagia, oligomenorrhea,
perimenopausal depression,
polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS),
oligomenorrhea, premenstrual
syndrome, secondary amenorrhea,
threatened miscarriage, and uterine myomas.
Actions that are
ascribed to chasteberry
include; pituitary adjuvant, dopamine
agonist, galactagogue (lactation
stimulant), emmenagogue
(menstruation stimulant), FSH
antagonist, LH agonist, prolactin
antagonist, hepatoprotective,
antiseptic, and anaphrodisiac.
As mentioned,
vitex is used for many
conditions related to hormonal
imbalance. Problems with menstrual
cycles have been examined
extensively for treatment with
Vitex extracts. [8-10] One particular study observed
benefit for female patients with
various disorders that were cyclical
in nature, including polymenorrhea
(shortened cycle), oligomenorrhea
(infrequent cycle) and menorrhagia
(increased duration of bleeding).
[11] The results showed that long
term treatment with vitex,
normalized all of these conditions.
A large trial of over 1500 women
with corpus luteum insufficiency was
conducted to examine the effect of
vitex treatment. [12] Researchers observed that 33% of the
women were free of complaints, and
51% were in satisfactory condition
following vitex therapy. Studies
have also been conducted for the
treatment of hyperprolactinemia with
vitex and have demonstrated similar clinical
efficacy. [13,
14] Another cyclical problem is
secondary amenorrhea, the absence of
menses with a history of normal
menstruation. Patients with
secondary amenorrhea who took vitex
extracts demonstrated normal menses
after a six month treatment period. [8]
Women who experience
premenstrual syndrome may also
benefit from treatment with vitex. Two large surveys of gynecologic
practices were conducted to
determine the clinical efficacy of
vitex for treatment of PMS. [15,
16] In
these studies, women took a liquid
extract of vitex at a dosage level
of 40 drops once daily in the
morning. Both physicians and
patients rated the treatment very
highly and noted a very low
incidence of side effects, like mild
nausea.
Infertility can be
successfully addressed using vitex,
dependent on the nature of the
infertility. As discussed, vitex is
effective for conditions resulting
from luteal phase defects and high
levels of prolactin. In study,
forty five
women with infertility related to
these issues were studied and given vitex once daily for 3 months. [17,
18] The
treatment was deemed successful in
39 of the patients based on levels
of progesterone, incidence of
pregnancy, and lengthening of the luteal phase.
Other conditions for
which vitex may be beneficial
include; increasing milk production
in nursing mothers, endometriosis,
acne in both men and women, dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps),
mastalgia (breast pain), complaints
of perimenopause, and as an
antimicrobial against certain
strains of bacteria such as
Salmonella spp. and
Staphylococcus aureus. [19-23]
Generally, vitex
should be taken in the morning to
coincide with the diurnal rhythm of
the pituitary gland. The effect of vitex does not appear quickly. It
often takes up to 3 -6 months to
observe benefit in the condition
being treated. However, if the problem is
longstanding, it may take longer.
If taking a
standardized extract (such as the
German products Agnolyt or Vitalex);
40 drops or 1 capsule every morning
(9 grams of fruit per 100 milliliters extract) is
a sufficient dose. [2] Infusions of
½ to 1 teaspoon (5 - 10 grams) of the
berries or seeds in 8 oz. of hot
water for 15 minutes can be
administered 3
times daily, or once during the
morning. Tincture doses vary
according to strength (i.e. 1:5
tincture) and 3 - 10 ml can be taken in the
morning. 1:2 fluid extract, in
amounts ranging from 1 - 4 ml
is another popular daily dose for
use in the morning.
|
Chasteberry Toxicities and
Contraindications |
Internal vitex
administration should not be
recommended if a patient is pregnant
or undergoing in vitro
fertilization.
Potential drug
interactions include progesterone
drugs, oral contraceptive pills, or
hormone replacement therapy. [24]
In animal studies,
very large amounts of vitex (nearly 20
times the therapeutic dose) inhibits
all aspects of anterior pituitary
function; resulting in decreased
pituitary, adrenal, and uterine
function. [25] Adverse effects that have been
reported in large scale trials
include rare occurrences of formication, abnormal menstrual
cycle changes, itching, urticaria,
gastrointestinal and lower abdominal
complaints, and short term headaches.
The following table lists various
products that contain a safe and
reliable source of Chasteberry:
|
Manufacturer |
Ingredient |
Amount |
US RDA |
Learn More |
|
Nature's Herbs |
Chasteberry |
100mg |
-- |
Click Here
 |
|
Zand
Vitex |
Vitex Berry Extract |
1 drop |
-- |
Click Here
 |
