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Herbs & Supplements
Agnus Castus
Scientific Name: Chaste Tree
Other Names: Chasteberry, Cloister Pepper, Monk's Berry, Monk's Pepper, Vitex, Vitex agnus-castus
What interactions should I watch for?
Prescription Drugs
Chemicals in chaste tree berries act like female hormones in the body. When they are taken at the same time as oral contraceptives or female hormone replacement therapy (HRT), chaste tree berries may interfere with the way the body uses the hormones. As a result, HRT or oral contraceptives may not be as effective, some women may experience increased side effects, and the risk of an unintended pregnancy may be slightly higher.
Because chaste tree increases the effects of dopamine in unpredictable amounts, taking it may interfere with the effectiveness of drugs that also increase dopamine. Dopamine-enhancing drugs often are used to treat Parkinson's disease. They include:
- bromocriptine
- cabergoline
- carbidopa-levodopa
- Mirapex
- Requip
Certain drugs reduce the effects of dopamine to relieve nausea or to treat psychoses. Because chaste tree may increase dopamine levels, taking it at the same time as a drug that reduces dopamine may interfere with the drug's effectiveness. Among the drugs that reduce dopamine are:
- chlorpromazine
- clozapine (Clozaril)
- haloperidol (Haldol)
- metoclopramide (Reglan)
- Risperdal
- Seroquel
- thioridazine
- trifluoperazine
- Zyprexa
Some interactions between herbal products and medications can be more severe than others. The best way for you to avoid harmful interactions is to tell your doctor and/or pharmacist what medications you are currently taking, including any over-the-counter products, vitamins, and herbals. For specific information on how chaste tree berries interact with drugs, other herbals, and foods and the severity of those interactions, please use our Drug Interactions Checker to check for possible interactions.
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Note: The above information is not intended to replace the advice of your physician, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional. It is not meant to indicate that the use of the product is safe, appropriate, or effective for you.
In general, herbal products are not subject to review or approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). They are not required to be standardized, meaning that the amounts of active ingredients or contaminants they contain may vary between brands or between different batches of the same brand. Not all of the risks, side effects, or interactions associated with the use of herbal products are known because few reliable studies of their use in humans have been done.
This information is provided for your education only. Please share this information with your healthcare provider and be sure that you talk to your doctor and pharmacist about all the prescription and non-prescription medicines you take before you begin to use any herbal product.
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What interactions should I watch for?
