Vitex agnus-castus                               Common name: Chaste berry, Monk’s pepper, Vitex

Parts used:  Fruit

Constituents: Flavonoids (castican, orientin, isovitexin); Iridoid glycosides (agnuside [the reference constituent for standardization], aucubin, eurostoside; Terpenoids (cineole, sabinene, limonene, camphene and others).

Medicinal actions:  Pituitary adjuvant

Medicinal use:  Vitex is most often used in the treatment of menstrual disorders. PMS, secondary amenorrhea, oligomenorrhea, menorrhagia, metorrhagia, insufficient lactation, infertility, polycystic ovaries and acne are among some of the conditions that can be helped with vitex.  The basic overall indication for vitex is a relative progesterone deficiency, or, a relative estrogen excess.

Pharmacy:  Tincture: (1:5), 3-10 ml QD.

Toxicity:  In high doses (20 times therapeutic), Vitex inhibits all aspects of anterior pituitary function resulting in decreased pituitary, adrenal and uterine function.