What are the Uses of Chaste Tree Berry?
Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS). Chaste Tree Berry is a natural flavonoid that has a progesterone like effect. It is also effective in altering the neurotransmitters that modulate hormonal levels, such as dopamine, prolactin and neuroactive flavonoids. Through these actions, Chaste Tree Berry acts to regulate heavy menstrual flow due to insufficient progesterone production and alleviate mood changes associated with erratic hormone production. Numerous older studies in Germany have found Chaste Tree Berry or Vitex helpful for PMS. Reduction in headaches, breast tenderness, anxiety, bloating and fatigue were reported after approximately three months, with minimal side effects. A recent study in the British Medical Journal by R. Schellenberg (1) evaluated the use of Chaste Tree berry in women with the premenstrual syndrome. They evaluated 170 women with PMS and divided them into a placebo controlled arm (84) and treatment arm (86). The mean age was 36 years with average cycle lengths of 28 d
