Phytopharmacological Review on Vitex agnus-castus: A Potential Medicinal Plant

Vitex agnus-castus is a small tree or shrub, belonging to the family Verbenaceae. It is a deciduous shrub native to European, Mediterranean, and Central Asian countries. V. agnus castus has a long tradition as a herbal remedy and was used in ancient times not only as an anaphrodisiac but also against diverse disturbances of the female genital system. The major constituents in V. agnus-castus are flavonoids, essential oils, diterpenes, and glycosides. The flavonoids (casticin, quercetagetin, and isovitexin) have been shown in vitro to affect estrogen receptors. V. agnus-castus could be used to treat acne, digestive complaints, menstrual irregularities, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), mastalgia, and infertility, and also for lactation support. Although V. agnus-castus has been used for centuries and enjoys wide support from practitioners and the general public for many gynecological complaints, few clinical studies support its documented uses. The presence of phytochemical and pharmacological activities has proved that the plant has a leading capacity for the development of new good efficacy drug in future.