Botanical name: Vitex Agnus-Castus. Vitex has long been used for irregularities of the menstrual cycle including premenstrual and menopausal complaints.

Researchers have observed that vitex acts on the pituitary gland and helps to balance the ovarian hormones by increasing the level of progesterone relative to estrogen. This in turn helps balance the menstrual cycle and thus alleviate symptoms of both PMS and menopause. Vitex is also reported to modulate high levels of prolactin, which can aggravate PMS symptoms.

Vitex is often recommended to address some common symptoms of menopause including hot flashes, depression and vaginal dryness.

Vitex is believed to act on the hypothalamus and pituitary, regulating progesterone levels. Two recent surveys in Germany investigated the effect of Vitex on over 1,500 women aged thirteen to sixty-two with gynecological complaints. One-third experienced complete relief from the symptoms while another 57% reported significant improvement. Both physicians and patients observed a 90% reduction in symptoms, including relieved fluid retention, bloating, breast tenderness, headache, and fatigue.

The effectiveness of vitex to treat the imbalance may be felt after 10 days, but for full benefit it should be taken up to 6 months or longer. With PMS, a positive result may be felt by the second menstrual period, but permanent improvement may take up to a year, or longer. A separate study found that acne associated with PMS is also reduced using vitex.

Side effects from using vitex are rare, and there are no known interactions with other drugs.

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