* Please Note: Traditional Use information is provided as a courtesy only. Although we have done our best to review the validity of these uses and we continue to revise this information as new data emerges, the traditional uses indicated on this page for this product may be wrong. This information is based on Traditional and Folklore Medicine which uses natural materials to support health. This information has not been evaluated or approved by the FDA and is not necessarily based on scientific evidence from any source. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor.
Vitex, chaste tree, hemp tree, monk's pepper, or chasteberries are names that all identify the same herb. It is the bitter, acrid fruit and leaves with their volatile oils, glycosides, flavonoids, and castine (a bitter principle) that are used medicinally. The tonic and emmenagogic properties of the herb are particularly beneficial to disorders related to the liver and spleen.
As the name suggests, chaste berries were used in ancient times to suppress libido in temple priestesses. Supposedly in Italy today, the flowers are still spread before the ground of novices as they enter the monastery. There seems to be little evidence, however, that vitex has anaphrodisiac properties.
This important female herb seems to regulate the menstrual cycle of women. Its special application is for relieving the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and female menopause. The unique properties of vitex are due to its pituitary-stimulating properties and its ability to increase luteinizing hormone (progesterone), which stimulates the actual sloughing off of the corpus luteum associated with menstruation.
The female menstrual cycle is a good barometer of the overall emotional and physical health of women. After menstruation, the tendency is toward the increase of estrogen. This continues up to ovulation, when the egg drops down from the ovaries and becomes available for fertilization.
Estrogen and progesterone are the two hormones that create all the psychological and emotional qualities associated with femininity. As herbalist David Hoffmann states, vitex is an "amphoteric remedy" because it tends to have a normalizing effect on estrogen even though it favors the progesterone cycle. He further maintains its benefit in helping the body regain "natural balance after the use of the birth control pill."
The diminishing of estrogen and the increase of progesterone is important after ovulation since this hormone is needed to prepare the womb for either the implantation of the fertilized ovum or menstruation. Extensive scientific validation establishes that vitex enhances the progesterone cycle in women and is consequently beneficial for the treatment of painful menstruation, the emotional swings associated with premenstrual syndrome and problems related to menopause.
What this implies is that vitex is the single herb of choice for helping to maintain emotional balance before and during menstruation. Of course, other factors need to be examined to arrive at a more comprehensive treatment for PMS, including treating the liver with bitter herbs such as turmeric or Oregon grape root and the use of the Chinese female tonic herb called tang quai (Angelica sinensis), which, among many functions, also regulates hormones, tonifies blood and aids blood circulation.
Dosage
Commission E recommends that when this herb is used to treat menstrual irregularities, a total dose of 30 to 40 milligrams per day, of the alcohol extract should be used.
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Directions
Take 1 capsule, 3 times daily, with meals.
Additional Information
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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor. The essence of the current American rule on Traditional Uses is, as stated by FTC, "Claims based on historical or traditional use should be substantiated by confirming scientific evidence, or should be presented in such a way that consumers understand that the sole basis for the claim is a history of use of the product for a particular purpose."
