Vitex agnus-castus

Vitex agnus-castus, also called chaste tree or vitex, is a shrub of the Verbenaceae family, its fruits are very similar to black pepper. From chaste tree a homeopathic medicine is obtained, you can find it in chemist’s or herbalist’s shops, the remedy is used to treat problems that affect the female reproductive system but, if used on men, it has anaphrodisiac effects, leading to a decrease in libido, in fact in the Middle Ages the monks used this plant in order to keep their vow of chastity. In this section we will focus on the uses of the chaste tree for women. The remedy, in fact, acts on the endocrine system and has a balancing effect on the progesterone. For this reason, it is used in case of hormonal imbalances that cause acne and painful heavy periods, it can harmonize ovulation and regulate menstruation cycle, whether the menstrual period is too long or too short, but it is also used in case of loss of desire. The chaste tree is helpful in case of symptoms related to premenstrual syndrome, such as irritability, fatigue and mild depression or in case of symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes but also heavy legs, water retention or palpitations. You can take the chaste tree in dry extract without food for at least three months cycles, or you can use the mother tincture, 30 drops twice a day between meals. Be careful if you are already taking birth control pills or if you are taking medicines to treat depression, as the chaste tree can interfere with these. Do not take chaste tree during pregnancy. The remedy can rarely cause headaches or nausea.