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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

References

Anon: Chaste tree. In: DerMarderosian A, Beutler JA, eds. Facts and Comparisons: The Review of Natural Products. St. Louis, MO, Facts and Comparisons. February 1998.

Atmaca M, Kumru S, Tezcan E. Fluoxetine versus Vitex agnus castus extract in the treatment of premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Human Psychopharmacology. 2003;18(3):191-195.

Berger D. Schaffner W, Schrader E, Meier B, Brattstrom A. Efficacy of Vitex agnus castus L. extract Ze 440 in patients with premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics. 2000;264:150-153.

Blumenthal M, Gruenwald J, Hall T, Rister RS, eds. The Complete German Commission E Monographs. Austin, Texas: American Botanical Council; 1998.

Cahill DJ, Fox R, Wardle PG, Harlow CR. Multiple follicular development associated with herbal medicine. Human Reproduction. 1994;9:1469-1470.

Daniele C, Thompson Coon J, Pittler MH, Ernst E. Vitex agnus castus: a systematic review of adverse events. Drug Safety. 2005;28(4):319-332.

Dericks-Tan JS, Schwinn P, Hildt C. Dose-dependent stimulation of melatonin secretion after administration of Agnus castus. Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology and Diabetes. 2003;111(1):44-46.

Eagon CL, Elm MS, Eagon PK. Estrogenicity of traditional Chinese and western herbal remedies [abstract]. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research. 1996;37:A1937.

Foster S. Chaste tree. Vitex agnus-castus. 2000. Available at: http://www.stevenfoster.com/education/monograph/vit ex.html Accessed May 19, 2003.

Gardiner P. Chasteberry (Vitex agnus castus). The Longwood Herbal Task Force. Revised May 11, 2000. Available at: http://www.mcp.edu/herbal/Vitex/Vitex.pdf Accessed: April 21, 2003.

Gerhard II, Patek A, Monga B, Blank A, Gorkow C. Mastodynon for female infertility. Forsch Komplementarmed. 1998;5(6):272-278.

Gorkow C, Wuttke W, Marz RW. Effectiveness of Vitex agnus-castus preparations [article in German]. Wiener Medizinische Wochenschrift. 2002;152(15-16):364-372.

Halaska M, Raus K, Beles P, Martan A, Paithner KG. Treatment of cyclical mastodynia using an extract of Vitex agnus castus: results of a double-blind comparison with a placebo [Article in Czech]. Ceska Gynekologia. 1998 Oct;63(5):388-392.

Hardy ML. Herbs of special interest to women. Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association. 2000;40(2):234-242 and 327-329.

HealthNotes, Inc. Vitex. 2002. Available at: http://www.mycustompak.com/healthNotes/Herb/Vitex.htm Accessed March 28, 2003.

Hirobe C, Qiao ZS, Takeya K, Itokawa H. Cytotoxic flavonoids from Vitex agnus-castus. Phytochemistry. 1997;46(3):521-524.

Institute for Natural Products Research. 1999. Available at: http://www.naturalproducts.org/public/qr/vitex.html Accessed May 19, 2003.

Jarry H, Leonhardt S., Gorkow C, Wuttke W. In vitro prolactin but not LH and FSH release is inhibited by compounds in extracts of Agnus Castus: direct evidence for a dopaminergic principle by the dopamine receptor assay. Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology. 1994;102:448-454.

Jarry H, Spengler B, Porzel A, Schmidt J, Wuttke W, Christoffel V. Evidence for estrogen receptor beta-selective activity of Vitex agnus-castus and isolated flavones. Planta Medica. 2003;69(10):945-947.

Jellin JM, Gregory P, Batz F, Hitchens K, et al, eds. Pharmacist's Letter/Prescriber's Letter. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 3rd Edition. Stockton CA: Therapeutic Research Facility, 2000.

Kilicdag EB, Tarim E, Bagis T, Erkanli S, Aslan E, Ozsahin K, Kuscu E. Fructus agni casti and bromocriptine for treatment of hyperprolactinemia and mastalgia. International Journal of Gynaecology [sic] and Obstetrics. 2004;85(3):292-293.

Leigh E. Vitex more effective than pyridoxine in PMS. HerbalGram. 1998;42:16.

Levy B. Clinical studies on chaste tree for menstrual disorders. HerbalGram. 1998;42:19-21.

Liu J, Burdette JE, Sun Y, et al. Isolation of linoleic acid as an estrogenic compound from the fruits of Vitex agnus-castus L. (chaste-berry). Phytomedicine. 2004;11(1):18-23.

Liu J, Burdette JE, Xu H, et al. Evaluation of estrogenic activity of plant extracts for the potential treatment of menopausal symptoms. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2001;49(5):2472-2479.

Loch EG, Selle H, Boblitz N. Treatment of premenstrual syndrome with a phytopharmaceutical formulation containing Vitex agnus castus. Journal of Womens Health and Gender Based Medicine. 2000;9:3(3)15-320.

Lucks BC, Sorensen J, Veal L. Vitex agnus-castus essential oil and menopausal balance: a self-care survey. Complimentary Therapies in Nursing and Midwifery. 2002;8:148-154.

Meier B, Berger D, Hoberg E, Sticher O, Schaffner W. Pharmacological activities of Vitex agnus-castus extracts in vitro. Phytomedicine. 2000;7(5):373-381.

Mehlhorn H, Schmahl G, Schmidt J. Extract of the seeds of the plant Vitex agnus castus proven to be highly efficacious as a repellent against ticks, fleas, mosquitoes and biting flies. Parasitology Research. 2005;95(5):363-365.

Merz P, Gorkow C, Schroder A, et al. The effects of a special Agnus castus extract (BP1095el) on prolactin secretion in healthy male subjects. Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology and Diabetes 1996;104(6):447-453.

Milewicz A, Gejdel E, Sworen H, et al. Vitex agnus castus extract in the treatment of luteal phase defects due to latent hyperprolactinemia. Results of a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind study. [Article in German] Arzneimittelforschung. 1993;43(7):752-756.

Oerter Klein K, Janfaza M, Wong JA, Chang RJ. Estrogen bioactivity in fo-ti and other herbs used for their estrogen-like effects as determined by a recombinant cell bioassay. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology Metabolism. 2003;88(9):4077-4079.

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, Online Edition. Pharmacist's Letter/Prescriber's Letter. Stockton CA: Therapeutic Research Facility, 2006.

Available at: http://www.pharmacistsletter.com/(S(ulqz3s45omt3ag55um4kj345))/home.aspx?li=1&st=1&cs=&s=ND. Roemheld-Hamm B. Chasteberry. American Family Physician. 2005;72(5):821-824.

Rotem C, Kaplan B. Phyto-Female Complex for the relief of hot flushes, night sweats and quality of sleep: randomized, controlled, double-blind pilot study. Gynecological Endocrinology. 2007;23(2):117-122.

Russell L, Hicks GS, Low AK, Shepherd JM, Brown CA. Phytoestrogens: a viable option? American Journal of Medical Science. 2002;324(4):185-188.

Schellenberg R. Treatment for the premenstrual syndrome with agnus castus fruit extract: prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study. British Medical Journal. 2001;32297279):134-137.

Schulman R. Chaste tree extract shown effective for PMS in clinical study. American Botanical Council HerbClip. May 6, 2001.

Sliutz G, Speiser P, Schultz AM, Spona J, Zeillinger R. Agnus castus extracts inhibit prolactin secretion of rat pituitary cells. Hormone and Metabolic Research. 1993;25(5):253-255.

Velasco M, Luchsinger A. Dopamine: pharmacologic and therapeutic aspects. American Journal of Therapeutics. 1998;5(1):37-43.

Warren BS, Devine CM. Herbal Medicines and breast cancer risk. Fact Sheet #53. Cornell University Program on Breast Cancer and Environmental Risk Factors. Revised November 2004. Available at: http://envirocancer.cornell.edu/factsheet/diet/fs53/herbal.pdf. Accessed Juy 14, 2005.

Webb D. Chaste tree (Vitex): uses and practitioner survey. American Botanical Association HerbClip. December 3, 1998.

Webb D. Treatment of premenstrual tension syndrome with Vitex agnus castus--clinical study. American Botanical Council HerbClip. November 13, 1997.

Webb G. Chaste tree (Vitex) monograph. American Botanical Council HerbClip. December 2, 1996.

Weisskopf M, Schaffner W, Jundt G, Sulser T, Wyler S, Tullberg-Reinert H. Vitex agnus-castus extract inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis in prostate epithelial cell lines. Planta Medica. 2005;71(10):910-916.

Wuttke W, Jarry H, Christoffel V, Spengler B, Seidlova-Wuttke D. Chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus)--pharmacology and clinical indications. Phytomedicine. 2003;10(4):348-357.

Last Revised August 9, 2007

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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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