CHASTEBERRY VITEX AGNUS CASTUS

CHASTEBERRY (Vitex agnus-castus L.) ++

Activities (Chasteberry) :
- Analgesic (1; BGB); Anaphrodisiac (f; BRU; MAB); Anorectic (f; PH2); Antiandrogenic (1; MAB); Antibacterial (1; APA; MAB; WOI); Antiinflammatory (1; APA); Antilactagogue (1; PH2); Antiprolactin (1; MAB; PHR; SHT); Antiseptic (1; MAB; WOI); Candidicide (1; APA; MAB); Dopaminergic (1; BGB; MAB; PH2; SHT); Emmenagogue (f; BGB; BRU; MAB; PH2); Fungicide (1; MAB); Lactagogue (1; APA; BRU; CAN; MAB); Progesterogenic (1; MAB; SKY; WOI); Sedative (f; BRU; PH2).

Indications (Chasteberry) :
- Acne (2; BRU; CAN; MAB); Alactea (2; MAB); Amenorrhea (1; APA; MAB); Anemia (1; PH2); Bacteria (1; APA; MAB; WOI); BPH (1; MAB; PH2); Breast Pain (2; KOM; SHT); Candida (1; APA; MAB); Constipation (f; BGB); Cramp (1; BGB; SHT); Dementia (f; MAB); Depression (1; MAB; PH2); Dyslactea (1; CAN; SHT); Dysmenorrhea (2; KOM; MAB; SHT); Endometriosis (1; MAB); Enterosis (1; MAB); Epilepsy (f; MAB); Fatigue (f; BGB); Fever (f; BGB); Fibrocystic Breast Disease (1; MAB; SKY); Fibroid (1; MAB; SKY); Frigidity (f; MAB); Fungus (1; MAB); Gas (f; BGB; PH2); Hangover (f; BGB); Headache (2; BGB; MAB); HRT-Withdrawal (1; MAB); Hypogonadism (f; MAB); Hyperprolactinemia (1; MAB); Herpes (1; MAB); Impotence (f; MAB; PH2); Infection (1; MAB; WOI); Infertility (1; MAB; PH2; SKY); Inflammation (1; APA); Insomnia (f; BRU; PH2); Irregular Cycle (1; MAB); Lactorrhea (1; MAB); Mastosis (2; APA; KOM; MAB; PH2); Melancholia (f; MAB); Menopause (1; APA; MAB; PH2; SKY); Menorrhagia (1; CAN; SKY); Menstrual Distress (1; MAB; SKY); Mycosis (1; MAB); Nervousness (f; BRU; PH2); Neurasthenia (f; PH2); Neurosis (1; CAN); Oligomenorrhea (2; MAB); Pain (1; BGB; PH2); PMS (2; APA; KOM; PH2; SHT); Polymenorrhea (2; MAB); Spermatorrhea (f; PH2); Stomatosis (f; MAB); Uterosis (f; PH2); Vaginosis (1; APA); Yeast (1; APA; MAB).

Dosages (Chasteberry) :
- 20 mg fruit/day (APA); 30 - 40 mg fruit/day (MAB; PH2); 0.5 - 1 g fruit 3 ×/day (CAN); 40 drops/day/3 months (CAN); hydroalcoholic extracts corresponding to 30 - 40 mg fruits (KOM); 1 - 4 ml/day liquid extract (1:2) (MAB); 1 - 5 ml/day tincture (1:5) (MAB); 40 drops StX tincture (SF); 175 mg/day tincture (1:5) (SHT); 2 (560 mg) capsules 2 ×/day (NH).

Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Chasteberry) :
- Class 2b. CAN cautions that it may cause allergic reactions. May counteract the effectiveness of birth control pills (AHP). Contraindicated in pregnancy and nursing (PH2). Because of its hormonal action, its use in pregnancy and lactation is to be avoided (CAN). It may interfere with endocrine therapies (hormone replacement, oral contraception, sex hormones). The use of agnus castus to treat symptoms of corpus luteum deficiency is only recommended in patients not on any other hormonal therapy. Commission E reports no contraindications or interactions for the fruit. Adverse effects: skin reactions, GI distress (AEH; KOM; SKY). Schulz et al., 1998, are more positive, reporting no serious side effects. High-dose experiments evoked some dose-dependent side effects but so mild as to generate no fears (SHT). May interfere with metabolism of dopamine-receptor antagonists (APA). Vitex acting on the pituitary increasing luteinizing hormone, helping reduce prolactin and increase progesterone (SKY). I suspect there was an idiomatic problem leading PH2 to suggest that chaste tree inhibits lactation (main active principles aucubin and agnoside. More people seem to spell it agnuside and I have entered agnuside as antiprolactin). I suspect they meant these compounds inhibit prolactin rather than inhibit lactation. Chaste tree treatment is twice as good for PMS symptoms (abdominal tension, breast tenderness, constipation, depressed mood, edema, and headache) as treatment with pyridoxine.