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Picture of Chasteberry fruit
Picture of Chasteberry Plant or Bush
Chasteberry has been used for thousands of years, mostly by women to ease
menstrual problems and to stimulate the production of
breast milk. Also as an herbal remedy for menopause.
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Bankoro, Noni, Immune System Builder |
Chasteberry is an herbal remedy
for meopause. Chasteberry has also been used for the remedy of menstrual cramps,
and to stimulate milk production.
Chasteberry- Chasteberry is the fruit of the chaste tree,
a small shrub-like tree native to Central Asia and the Mediterranean region,
which is a deciduous and fairly hardy tree or shrub that thrives in
well-drained, acidic soil in full sun. The chasteberry tree may reach a height
of twenty feet. Chasteberry is a free-spreading tree with fragrant flowers and
berries (somewhat like peppercorns) that are dark purple and yellowish within,
with an aromatic odor (somewhat like peppermint). The name is thought
to come from a belief that the plant promoted chastity--it is reported
that monks in the Middle Ages used chasteberry to decrease sexual
desire. Mostly used by women as an herbal remedy for menopause and to
ease menstrual problems.
The seeds were once thought to safeguard
chastity as an "anaphrodisiac," and wives of traveling Roman
soldiers spread the herb around them to decrease their interest in sex, thus
giving rise to the name Chaste Tree. In the Middle Ages, monks relied on the
herb for the very same purpose of suppressing the libido, and thus Chasteberry
also acquired the name of Monk's Pepper and Cloister Pepper.
Common Names--chasteberry, chaste-tree berry, vitex,
monk's pepper
Latin Name--Vitex agnus-castus,
- What Chasteberry Is Used For
- Chasteberry has been used for thousands of years, mostly by women to ease
menstrual problems and to stimulate the production of
breast milk. Also as an herbal remedy for menopause.
- Chasteberry is still used for menstrual problems, such as
premenstrual syndrome (PMS), as well as for symptoms of menopause, some types
of infertility, and acne. Herbal remedy for sex drive and as an herbal remedy
for menopause.
- Try our Herbal Remedy and Herbal Medicine: Endo - eX
- Address the underlying cause of Endometriosis
- Decrease pelvic inflammation associated with Endometriosis
- Strengthen liver functioning and protect against environmental pollutants
- Reduce menstrual pain and cramps
- Regulate the menstrual cycle
- Prevent diminished fertility in women with Endometriosis
- How Chasteberry Is Used
The dried ripe chasteberry is used to prepare liquid extracts or solid
extracts that are put into capsules and tablets.
- What the Science Says about Chasteberry
- A few studies of chasteberry for premenstrual syndrome
(PMS) have found a benefit. However, most of these studies were not well
designed, so firm conclusions about chasteberry for PMS cannot be drawn.
- Small studies suggest that chasteberry may help with
breast pain and some types of infertility, but there is not enough reliable
scientific evidence to determine whether chasteberry has any effect on these
conditions.
- NCCAM is funding studies on chasteberry. Recent projects
have explored how chasteberry works in the body and how it might affect
symptoms of PMS.
- Side Effects and Cautions about Chasteberry
- Chasteberry has not been associated with serious side
effects. However, it can cause gastrointestinal problems, acne-like
rashes, and dizziness.
- Chasteberry may affect certain hormone levels. Women
who are pregnant or taking birth control pills or who have a
hormone-sensitive condition (such as breast cancer) should not use
chasteberry.
- Because chasteberry may affect the dopamine system in
the brain, people taking dopamine-related medications, such as selegiline,
amantadine, and levodopa, should avoid chasteberry.
- Tell your health care providers about any complementary
and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do
to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care.
An herb is a plant or part of a plant used for its flavor, scent, or potential
therapeutic properties. Includes flowers, leaves, bark, fruit, seeds, stems,
and roots. Herbal medicine products are dietary supplements that people take
to improve their health. Many herbs have been used for a long time for claimed
health benefits. They are sold as tablets, capsules, powders, teas, extracts
and fresh or dried plants. However, some can cause health problems, some are
not effective and some may interact with other drugs you are taking.
to improve their health. Many herbs have been used for a long time for claimed
health benefits. They are sold as tablets, capsules, powders, teas, extracts and
fresh or dried plants. However, some can cause health problems, some are not
effective and some may interact with other drugs you are taking.
Dietary supplement is a
product that contains vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino
acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients intended to supplement the diet. The
U.S. Food and Drug Administration has special labeling requirements for
dietary supplements and treats them as foods, not drugs.
To use an herbal product as safely as
possible:
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Consult your doctor first
-
Do not take a bigger dose than the label
recommends
-
Take it under the guidance of a trained
medical professional
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Be especially cautious if you are pregnant or
nursing
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Why should I use herbal products?
The decision to use herbs to improve your
health is, as with all health decisions, a personal one. There are, however,
many good reasons to consider herbal products to complement your own
health care methods. One of the best reason, however, may be the fact that
herbs and herbal products, continue to provide real health benefits while
maintaining a remarkable safety profile. Readily available natural
substances were the first medicines used by humans. Primitive and ancient
civilizations as well as contemporary cultures throughout the world have
always relied on herbs to provide the benefits that have been observed with
their use. In fact, the World Health Organization has estimated that 80
percent of the world's population continues to use traditional therapies, a
major part of which are derived from plants, as their primary health care
tools. In our own time and culture, most herbs are available in the form of
"herbal supplements." These products are found in the form of teas, tablets,
capsules, liquid extracts, and others. We now have ready access to products
that bring the herbal traditions from all over the world in a variety of
convenient forms. In addition, scientific inquiries continue to develop our
knowledge of the benefits of plants, and often validate the observations
made over the past centuries.
Endo - eX
- Address the underlying cause of Endometriosis
- Decrease pelvic inflammation associated with Endometriosis
- Strengthen liver functioning and protect against environmental pollutants
- Reduce menstrual pain and cramps
- Regulate the menstrual cycle
- Prevent diminished fertility in women with Endometriosis
Are herbs safe?
Plants that enjoy broad culinary
and therapeutic usage are generally safe. We can flavor our food with any
number of herbs to make a meal more flavorful. We can appreciate a delicious
cup of peppermint leaf or ginger root tea, or benefit from the soothing
properties of marshmallow root or the bark of slippery elm. We can take an
herbal supplement containing dandelion root or saw palmetto berries, or any
number of the other herbs. Although allergies and reactions have been
recorded for a few herbs that are widely used in foods and supplements, such
individual concerns are also seen with many foods, and do not diminish the
safety profile of the many herbs that are generally recognized as safe. On
the other hand, and as everyone knows, there are any number of plants that
are highly toxic, even deadly.
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