Vitex (Chaste Tree)

Vitex agnus-castus · Chasteberry · Chaste tree berry · Agnus castus

Snapshot

Indications	Contraindications
Premenstrual syndrome^{1, 2} Premenstrual dysphoric disorder³ Cyclic breast pain^{4, 5} Mild hyperprolactinemia⁶ Menstrual cycle irregularity^{5, 7, 8} Menopausal symptoms⁹	Pregnancy¹⁰ Breastfeeding¹⁰ Hormone-sensitive cancers⁹

Vitex (chasteberry), the fruit extract of Vitex agnus-castus, is a Mediterranean and Central Asian shrub used traditionally for gynecological complaints⁹. Its fruit diterpenes interact with dopamine D2 receptors, lowering prolactin release⁶. Supplementation follows from that effect: premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) are the most studied uses, followed by cyclic breast pain, mild hyperprolactinemia, menstrual irregularity, and menopausal symptoms, where trials are few. Reproductive-age women with cyclical symptoms are the typical users.

Meta-analyses of placebo-controlled trials favor Vitex extracts for PMS, though high risk of bias, heterogeneity, and publication bias limit certainty^{1, 2}. Systematic reviews also report benefit for cyclic breast pain^{11, 12}. In PMDD, one trial found Vitex equivalent to fluoxetine while another favored fluoxetine¹³. A 2023 review of small studies and case series proposed a role in mild hyperprolactinemia, and no large randomized trial has tested it⁶. Products are standardized fruit extracts in tablets or capsules, as well as liquid tinctures and whole-herb powders; see Form comparison. Quality varies, and some supplements lack marker compounds¹⁴.

Pregnancy and lactation are the most consequential exclusions, since Vitex acts on prolactin and hormone signaling¹⁵. Health Canada labels ask for a practitioner's advice before use with hormone-containing medications such as oral contraceptives¹⁰. Dopamine antagonists are a theoretical interaction¹⁵.

Last updated October 16, 2026. Read how we make monographs.

In the full monograph

61 sources, 49 studies

When to useThe situations practitioners use it for, each with the reason and the study behind it.
SafetyWho should avoid it, who needs extra care, and the side effects reported in studies.
InteractionsThe medicines and supplements it interacts with, the effect of each, and what labeling says to watch.
Protocol notesThe doses used in studies, how and when they were taken, and how the forms on the market compare.
How it worksWhat it is and how it works in the body, in plain terms.
Published studiesThe studies behind each use, popular claims checked against them, and trials still under way.
Word of mouthWhat patients and practitioners report online, kept separate from the clinical evidence.
Clinical perspectiveA closing read of where the evidence is solid, where it is thin, and what has not been studied.

Snapshot

In the full monograph

Sources