Evidence supporting the use of: Chaste tree
For the health condition: Amenorrhea

Links: Go back one page, Tool main page, Ingredients list, Health conditions list, Body systems list

Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus), also known as chasteberry, has been used traditionally in European and Mediterranean herbal medicine to address a variety of menstrual disorders, including amenorrhea (the absence of menstruation). The use of chaste tree for amenorrhea is grounded in historical accounts and folk medicine practices that date back to ancient Greece and Rome, where the herb was believed to influence female hormones and restore menstrual regularity.

The traditional rationale for using chaste tree in amenorrhea centers on its purported ability to influence the pituitary gland and promote the balance of reproductive hormones, particularly by increasing luteinizing hormone (LH) and modulating prolactin levels. By doing so, it was thought to help restart or regulate the menstrual cycle in women experiencing amenorrhea, especially when linked to hormonal imbalances.

However, while there is some clinical evidence supporting the use of chaste tree for premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and certain luteal phase disorders, scientific research specifically on its efficacy for amenorrhea is limited and largely inconclusive. Most modern studies have focused on its effect on PMS and mastalgia, with few high-quality trials assessing its utility for restoring absent periods. Thus, while chaste tree’s use for amenorrhea is well established in tradition and has a plausible mechanism, clinical validation remains insufficient.

More about chaste tree
More about Amenorrhea