CHASTE-TREE
Vitex agnus-castus

Location
East of Gorman Building; south of Bles Building; near the shuttle stops.

Description
Chaste-tree is a shrub with palmate leaves made up of five to seven linear, lance-shaped, toothed, leaflets that are dark green above, gray underneath, and covered with a close felt.  The fragrant purple flowers are on slender racemes three to six inches long (Grieve 1998). The aromatic berries resemble black pepper.

History
The seeds and ground fruit from the chaste-tree have been used since antiquity in an effort to maintain chastity by reducing libido; the seeds were used as a substitute for pepper (Grieve 1988, Lewis 1977).  Athenian matrons in Ceres strung their couches with chaste-tree leaves for sacred rites (Grieve 1988).

Chaste-tree berries have also been used to treat flatulence, hangovers, fevers, constipation and uterine cramps (Blumenthal 2000).

As a food, chaste tree seeds, called “wild pepper” or “monk’s-pepper”, have served as a spice. Leaves of other Vitex species are utilized for tea (Kiple 2000).

Current Medicinal Uses
Germany’s Commission E approved the use of chaste tree fruit for menstrual cycle irregularities, premenstrual complaints (Blumenthal 2000), and mastodynia (painful breasts).  The herb also has been used for insufficient lactation (Blumenthal 2000). 

A tincture of pounded fresh ripe berries was once used to treat paralysis, limb pain and weakness (Grieve 1998).  Chaste tree berry has also been used to reduce painful irregular, or heavy menses, as well as to treat acne and menopausal symptoms.

A randomized, double-blind trial of chaste-tree berry (a standardized extract called ZE 440, one tablet daily for three cycles) in 170 women with premenstrual syndrome found that, compared with placebo, vitex significantly improved symptom scores on a scale that included irritability, mood changes, anger, headache, breast fullness, and other symptoms (Schellenberg 2001).

Adverse Effects
Vitex can cause an acneiform rash or urticaria in some users. A case of ovarian hyperstimulation apparently due to ingestion of chaste-tree berry has been reported (Cahill 1994).

References
Blumenthal M, Goldberg A, Brinckmann J, ed. Herbal Medicine. Integrative Medicine Communications, Newton, 2000:62-64.

Cahill DJ, Fox R, Wardle PG, Harlow CR. Multiple follicular development associated with herbal medicine. Human Repro 1994;9(8):1469-70.

Grieve M. A Modern Herbal. Tiger Books International, London, 1998 (first published in 1931 by Jonathan Cape Ltd):188-189.

Kiple KF, Ornelas KC, ed. The Cambridge World History of Food. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2000.

Lewis WH , Elvin-Lewis MPF. Medical Botany: Plants Affecting Man’s Health. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1977.

Schellenberg R (for the study group).  Treatment for the premenstrual syndrome with agnus castus fruit extract: prospective, randomised, placebo controlled study.  BMJ 2001;322:134-137.