Vitex agnus-castus: Chaste tree

Melbourne-Brunswick-Naturopath-plant

Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus) is one of my top 5 herbs to use for women’s conditions and fertility issues. It is a powerful herb and effective when used in the correct situation; being a prolactin inhibitor, galactagogue, dopaminergic agonist, indirectly progesterogenic and calming to the nervous system.

Chaste tree is often used in the treatment of;

  • PMS symptoms
  • Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
  • Acne
  • Irregular ovulation
  • Postnatal depression
  • Uterine fibroids
  • Endometriosis
  • Sleep maintenance insomnia
  • Lengthening a short luteal phase
  • Miscarriage related to low progesterone levels
  • DUB (dysfunctional uterine bleeding) such heavy, absent or irregular periods

Vitex isn’t the right herb for everyone and shouldn’t be used by teenagers or during an IVF cycle; it is best prescribed by an experienced practitioner who knows what time during the menstrual cycle to take the herb and in what dosage to achieve the best result.