Visit our Re-post guidelines
A new study using Vitex (Chasteberry) for PMS just came out in Acta Medica Iranica titled Therapeutic effect of Vitex agnus castus in patients with premenstrual syndrome.
Refreshingly it used Vitex tincture although the strength was not indicated. It also used it in a cyclically-by-drop dosage and dosed first thing in the morning. This would be how I was trained to use it. It was also given for 6 cycles which is a good amount of time to see an effect.
Acta Med Iran. 2012;50(2):101-6.
Therapeutic effect of Vitex agnus castus in patients with premenstrual syndrome.
- RCT Inclusion criteria were reproductive age women, regular menstrual cycles lasting 25-34 days, and met DSM-IV criteria for PMS.
- Exclusion criteria were pregnancy and breast feeding, inadequate contraception, drug and alcohol abusers, patients with pituitary problems, those who had used sexual hormones other than oral contraceptive pills (for which the doses were kept unchanged) and previous Vitex agnus users concomitant psychotherapy, concomitant serious medical condition, hypersensitivity to Vitex agnus.
- The use of concomitant medications was prohibited.
- 40 drops of Vitex agnus or placebo in one glass of fruit juice and drank it before breakfast from the 6th day before menstruation until menstruation, for 6 consecutive cycles.
- Most of the PMS VAS scores were dropped in both groups, however it was more significant in the Vitex agnus group
Here is the results graph. Although both groups had an improvement in symptoms the Vitex group had a greater reduction in symptoms.
Other studies on Vitex mentioned in this study:
J Womens Health Gend Based Med. 2000 Apr;9(3):315-20.
BMJ. 2001 Jan 20;322(7279):134-7.
Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2000 Nov;264(3):150-3.
Efficacy of Vitex agnus castus L. extract Ze 440 in patients with pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS).
Other Relevant Research on GreenMedInfo.com
Amazing Fact: Pomegranate Can Serve As A Backup Ovary
Disqus