Chasteberry
chaste-tree berry, vitex, monk’s pepper, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), breast pain, infertility
chasteberry, chaste-tree berry, vitex, monk’s pepper
Vitex agnus-castus
On this page:
- Introduction
- What Chasteberry Is Used For
- How Chasteberry Is Used
- What the Science Says
- Side Effects and Cautions
- Sources
- For More Information
Introduction
This fact sheet provides basic information about the herb chasteberry—common names, uses, potential side effects, and resources for more information. Chasteberry is the fruit of the chaste tree, a small shrub-like tree native to Central Asia and the Mediterranean region. The name is thought to come from a belief that the plant promoted chastity—it is reported that monks in the Middle Ages used chasteberry to decrease sexual desire.
What Chasteberry Is Used For
- Chasteberry has been used for thousands of years, mostly by women to ease menstrual problems and to stimulate the production of breast milk.
- Chasteberry is still used for menstrual problems, such as premenstrual syndrome, as well as for symptoms of menopause, some types of infertility, and acne.
How Chasteberry Is Used
The dried ripe chasteberry is used to prepare liquid extracts or solid extracts that are put into capsules and tablets.
What the Science Says
- A few studies of chasteberry for premenstrual syndrome have found a benefit. However, most of these studies were not well designed, so firm conclusions about chasteberry for premenstrual syndrome cannot be drawn.
- Small studies suggest that chasteberry may help with breast pain and some types of infertility, but there is not enough reliable scientific evidence to determine whether chasteberry has any effect on these conditions.
- NCCAM has funded studies on chasteberry. Projects have explored how chasteberry works in the body and how it might affect symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.
Side Effects and Cautions
- Chasteberry has not been associated with serious side effects. However, it can cause gastrointestinal problems, acne-like rashes, and dizziness.
- Chasteberry may affect certain hormone levels. Women who are pregnant, or taking birth control pills or who have a hormone-sensitive condition (such as breast cancer) should not use chasteberry.
- Because chasteberry may affect the dopamine system in the brain, people taking dopamine-related medications, such as certain antipsychotic drugs and Parkinson’s disease medications, should avoid using chasteberry.
- Tell all your health care providers about any complementary and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care. For tips about talking with your health care providers about CAM, see NCCAM’s Time to Talk campaign.
Search the scientific literature for potential herb-drug interactions
Sources
- Chaste tree fruit. In: Blumenthal M, Goldberg A, Brinckman J, eds. Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs. Newton, MA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2000:62–64.
- Chasteberry. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Web site. Accessed at www.naturaldatabase.com on August 14, 2009.
- Chasteberry (Vitex agnus castus). In: Coates P, Blackman M, Cragg G, et al., eds. Encyclopedia of Dietary Supplements. New York, NY: Marcel Dekker; 2005:95–103.
- Chasteberry (Vitex agnus-castus). Natural Standard Database Web site. Accessed at www.naturalstandard.com on August 14, 2009.
For More Information
NCCAM Clearinghouse
The NCCAM Clearinghouse provides information on NCCAM and complementary health practices, including publications and searches of Federal databases of scientific and medical literature. The Clearinghouse does not provide medical advice, treatment recommendations, or referrals to practitioners.
CAM on PubMed®
Your literature search will be automatically limited to the complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) subset of PubMed.
Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS)
ODS seeks to strengthen knowledge and understanding of dietary supplements by evaluating scientific information, supporting research, sharing research results, and educating the public. Its resources include publications and the International Bibliographic Information on Dietary Supplements database.
This publication is not copyrighted and is in the public domain. Duplication is encouraged.
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