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Vitex (Vitex agnus-castus)
Well-known in Europe as "the women's herb," vitex is a shrub or small tree native to the Mediterranean and western Asia. It has been introduced into the southern U.S. Herbal preparations are derived from the dried ripe berries and occasionally the leaves or root of the plant, which is in the verbena family. The fruit of a species (V. negundo) native to China has long been used by traditional healers there for colds and coughs but the Mediterranean species is more widely recognized as an herb to balance female hormones and regulate women's menstrual cycles.

Traditional uses
The ancients Greeks used vitex for conditions associated with childbirth and the uterus. Women have long used vitex to treat various gynecological problems, including irregular monthly periods and the discomforts of menopause. The herb is also known as chaste tree and chasteberry, reflecting a folk tradition that this plant lowered sex drive. This belief was not universally accepted, though it persisted into the Middle Ages and was the reason why priests and nuns used a specially formulated vitex syrup to maintain chastity. Vitex was also considered a mild sedative in Spain and France and a cold and stomach ache remedy in Kurdistan and Iraq.

• fibrocystic breast disease
• female infertility
• acne during puberty

• Japanese scientists isolated four new flavonoids with potential anti-tumor properties from the root bark of vitex.
• Czech researchers recently conducted a double-blind, placebo controlled clinical trial on vitex. They found that women who took vitex experienced diminished breast pain and that vitex was well tolerated.
• Japanese scientists found a potent mosquito repellent in vitex leaf.

Do scientists know how it works?
Plant constituents include aucubin and other glycosides, flavonoids, and a volatile oil. Singly or in combination these constituents stimulate the pituitary gland in the brain to secrete luteinizing hormone, which helps control the function of the male and female sex organs. In women this leads to increased progesterone hormone, necessary for the healthy operation of the female reproductive system and more regular menstrual cycles. Vitex may also inhibit the pituitary's secretion of another hormone, prolactin. Prolactin promotes development of females' breasts, increases milk production (in response to infants' sucking), and in excessive amounts may contribute to infertility.

Types of products
Vitex is available in tablets, capsules, liquid extracts, and an elixir. It is sometimes combined with other herbs such as black cohosh and alfalfa. Vitex is a common ingredient in formulas for PMS, menopause, mood enhancement, women's sexual development, women's detoxification, women's balance, and women's bones.

Safety
A few women may experience skin rashes from taking vitex but the herb's overall toxicity is low. Many women take it for three to six months at a time to balance their menstrual cycles. Vitex should not be used, however, in conjunction with birth control pills or by pregnant or lactating women.

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