Evidence supporting the use of: Agnuside
For the health condition: Menstrual Irregularity
Synopsis
Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2
Agnuside is a key iridoid glycoside found in the fruit of Vitex agnus-castus (chaste tree), a plant traditionally used in European and Mediterranean herbal medicine to support female reproductive health, particularly for menstrual irregularities. The historical use of Vitex agnus-castus dates back centuries, with records in ancient Greek and Roman texts describing its use to address symptoms like irregular cycles, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and mild hyperprolactinemia.
The rationale for its traditional use is believed to be its potential effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, indirectly influencing hormone levels. While agnuside is a major active constituent, most available research focuses on the whole fruit extract rather than isolated agnuside. Some modern clinical studies show modest benefit of Vitex agnus-castus extracts in normalizing menstrual cycles and reducing symptoms of PMS, but these studies rarely isolate agnuside as the active component. The overall quality and scale of the evidence is limited, and there is insufficient high-quality clinical data specifically validating agnuside alone for menstrual irregularity.
In summary, the use of agnuside for menstrual irregularity is primarily supported by traditional use, with some preliminary scientific interest in the whole plant extract. The strength of evidence for agnuside specifically is low, earning a rating of 2 on the evidence scale.
Other ingredients used for Menstrual Irregularity
AbrusAbuta
Achyranthes
Aerva lanata
Agastache
Agnuside
Agrimonia pilosa
Agrimony
Ajuga
Akebia
Alchemilla
Aletris
Angelica
anise
Anserina
apple cider vinegar
Ashoka
ashwagandha
Baccharoides anthelmintica
balsam
Bergenia
bethroot
betony
big quaking grass
black cohosh
black gram
Black Hellebore
black pepper
black root
black salt
blackboard tree
Blepharis
blessed thistle
blue cohosh
blue flag
Bupleurum
cactus
calamus
calcium
Calotropis gigantea
cassia bark
chaste tree
chirata
cinquefoil
Clary sage
Clerodendrum phlomidis
Cnidium
cohosh
corktree
Corydalis
cowslip
cumin
Cyathula
Didymocarpus
dioscorea
dong quai
dong quai root
elephant\'s head
Erodium cicutarium
Erythropalum scandens
estrogen
Euryale seed
evening primrose oil
evening primrose oil
false unicorn root
fenugreek
fig
Fumaria parviflora
Japanese sophora
joe-pye
juniper berries
knotgrass
Labisia pumila
Lady's Mantle
lemon balm
Leptadenia
Lesser speargrass
licorice root
little ironweed
Lophira lanceolata
lovage
maca
macaenes
Marjoram
Mentha haplocalyx
Mezoneuron benthamianum
Montanoa tomentosa
Motherwort
Mung bean
Pennyroyal
Pentatropis capensis
Phytoestrogens
Plectranthus amboinicus
Potentilla
prickly ash
Pulsatilla
Qin Jiao
queen of the meadow
red clover
rose
Rubia cordifolia
Rubus
Sanguisorba
Semecarpus anacardium
Semiaquilegia
shepherd's purse
Snakeroot
Southernwood
Speedwell
Spikenard
Szechuan lovage
Tarragon
Tropical jewel hisbiscus
Turtle Head
Viburnum
vitamin B6
vitamin C
vitamin D
Vitex Agnus-Castus
Wild yam
Wood betony
Yarrow
Zinc
