Agnus castus

• Women experiencing premenstrual symptoms: 15 to 20 drops in a little water twice daily.
• Taking the maximum daily dose, you get 1,000 mg of Agnus castus extract, equivalent to 100mg dried berries.
• The effects of this product may not be felt immediately. For best results you may need to take this product for up to 3 months.
• Do not take more than 40 drops a day. Not for use in children or those under 18 years of age. Do not use if you have a pituitary gland disorder, are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breast-feeding.
• See your doctor before taking any form of Agnus castus if you are suffering from an oestrogen-sensitive cancer,
• Meanwhile, have suffered from a pituitary disorder or are taking dopamine agonists, or  antagonists, oestrogens or anti-oestrogens.

As with all herbal products or supplements, side effects can occur with use of Agnus castus. The frequency of these side effects is not known – this means it is not known how often these reactions occur as there have not been enough reports to allow this information to be calculated.

Possible side effects resulting from use of this are:

• Headaches, dizziness, acne or menstrual disorders
• Digestive symptoms such as nausea or abdominal pain
• Allergic skin reactions
• subsequently Other allergic reactions – severe swelling of the face, breathlessness and difficulty swallowing. If these occur, stop taking the medicine immediately and seek medical advice.

Agnus castus is also sometimes known by scientists as Vitex and because of this, some refer to it simply as Vitex. It is a shrub which grows up to 5m in height with delicate lavender or violet flowers. The plant grows mainly in the Mediterranean, although it also thrives in sub-tropical regions of Africa and the USA.

Above all, it is the fruit from the plant which is used medicinally. This use has been recorded since the time of Hippocrates. It was believed to be an anti-aphrodisiac, which explains some of the common names applied to Agnus including ‘Chaste Tree’, ‘Monk’s Pepper’ and ‘Chasteberry’.