Can Vitex Agnus castus be used for the treatment of mastalgia? What is the current evidence?

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Volumn 5, Issue 3, 2008, Pages 247-250

  Carmichael, A R ^a  

^a RUSSELLS HALL HOSPITAL   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

Drug therapy; Mastalgia; Premenstrual syndrome; Vitex

Indexed keywords

DOPAMINE 2 RECEPTOR; FLUOXETINE; PLACEBO; PROLACTIN; VITEX AGNUS CASTUS EXTRACT;

ACNE; CLINICAL TRIAL; DATA ANALYSIS; DRUG EFFICACY; DRUG SAFETY; ERYTHEMA; ESTROGEN BINDING; GASTROINTESTINAL SYMPTOM; HEADACHE; HORMONE RELEASE; HUMAN; HYPERPROLACTINEMIA; HYPOPHYSIS; MASTALGIA; MENSTRUATION DISORDER; NAUSEA; PHYTOTHERAPY; PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROME; PRIORITY JOURNAL; PRURITUS; REVIEW; STRESS; VITEX AGNUS CASTUS;

EID: 51849148634     PISSN: 1741427X     EISSN: 17414288     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1093/ecam/nem074     Document Type: Review

References (33)

1. Poe RO, Lowell FM, Fox HM. Depression; study of 100 cases in a general hospital. JAMA 1966;195:345-50.
2. Hankey A. CAM and the phenomenology of pain. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2006;3:139-41.
3. Adams JD Jr., Garcia C. Women's health among the Chumash. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2006;3:125-31.
4. Chopin LB. Vitex agnus castus essential oil and menopausal balance: a research update [Complementary Therapies in Nursing and Midwifery 8 (2003) 148-154]. Complement Ther Nurs Midwifery 2003;9:157-60.
5. Bergmann J, Luft B, Boehmann S, Runnebaum B, Gerhard I. The efficacy of the complex medication Phyto-Hypophyson L in female, hormone-related sterility. A randomized, placebo-controlled clinical double-blind study. Forsch Komplementarmed Klass Naturheilkd 2000;7:190-9.
6. Gerhard II, Patek A, Monga B, Blank A, Gorkow C. Mastodynon(R) bei weiblicher Sterilitat. Forsch Komplementarmed 1998;5:272-8.
7. Amann W. Amenorrhea. Favorable effect of Agnus castus (Agnolyt) on amenorrhea. ZFA (Stuttgart) 1982;58:228-31.
8. Amann W. Premenstrual water retention. Favorable effect of Agnus castus (Agnolyt) on premenstrual water retention. ZFA (Stuttgart) 1979;55:48-51.
9. Amann W. Acne vulgaris and Agnus castus (Agnolyt). Z Allgemeinmed 1975;51:1645-48.
10. Gorkow C, Wuttke W, Marz RW. Effectiveness of Vitex agnus-castus preparations. Wien Med Wochenschr 2002;152:364-72.
11. Hobbs C. The chaste tree: Vitex agnus castus. Pharm Hist 1991;33:19-24.
12. Huddleston M, Jackson EA. Is an extract of the fruit of Agnus Castus (chaste tree or chasteberry) effective for prevention of symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS)? J Fam Pract 2001;50:298.
13. Kumar S, Mansel RE, Scanlon MF, Hughes LE, Edwards CA, Woodhead JS, et al. Altered responses of prolactin, luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone secretion to thyrotrophin releasing hormone/gonadotrophin releasing hormone stimulation in cyclical mastalgia. Br J Surg 1984;71:870-3.
14. Mansel RE, Dogliotti L. European multicentre trial of bromocriptine in cyclical mastalgia. Lancet 1990;335:190-3.
15. Wuttke W, Jarry H, Christoffel V, Spengler B, Seidlova-Wuttke D. Chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus)-pharmacology and clinical indications. Phytomedicine 2003;10:348-57.
16. Meier B, Berger D, Hoberg E, Sticher O, Schaffner W. Pharmacological activities of Vitex agnus-castus extracts in vitro. Phytomedicine 2000;7:373-81.
17. Milewicz A, Gejdel E, Sworen H, Sienkiewicz K, Jedrzejak J, Teucher T, et al. Vitex agnus castus extract in the treatment of luteal phase defects due to latent hyperprolactinemia. Results of a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind study. Arzneimittelforschung 1993;43:752-6.
18. Sliutz G, Speiser P, Schultz AM, Spona J, Zeillinger R. Agnus castus extracts inhibit prolactin secretion of rat pituitary cells. Horm Metab Res 1993;25:253-5.
19. Jarry H, Leonhardt S, Gorkow C, Wuttke W. In vitro prolactin but not LH and FSH release is inhibited by compounds in extracts of Agnus castus: direct evidence for a dopaminergic principle by the dopamine receptor assay. Exp Clin Endocrinol 1994;102:448-54.
20. Merz PG, Gorkow C, Schrodter A, Rietbrock S, Sieder C, Loew D, et al. The effects of a special Agnus castus extract (BP1095E1) on prolactin secretion in healthy male subjects. Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 1996;104:447-53.
21. Caleffi M, Fentiman IS, Clark GM, Wang DY, Needham J, Clark K, et al. Effect of tamoxifen on oestrogen binding, lipid and lipoprotein concentrations and blood clotting parameters in premenopausal women with breast pain. J Endocrinol 1988;119:335-9.
22. Oksa S, Luukkaala T, Maenpaa J. Toremifene for premenstrual mastalgia: a randomised, placebo-controlled crossover study. BJOG 2006;113:713-8.
23. Hamed H, Kotheri A, Beechey-Newman N, Fentiman IS. Toremifene, a new agent for treatment of mastalgia: an open study. Int J Fertil Womens Med 2004;49:278-80.
24. Gong C, Song E, Jia W, Qin L, Guo J, Jia H, et al. A double-blind randomized controlled trial of toremifen therapy for mastalgia. Arch Surg 2006;1411:43-7.
25. Liu J, Burdette JE, Xu H, Gu C, van Breeman RB, Bhat KP, et al. Evaluation of estrogenic activity of plant extracts for the potential treatment of menopausal symptoms. J Agric Food Chem 2001;49:2472-9.
26. Jarry H, Spengler B, Porzel A, Schmidt J, Wuttke W, Christoffel V. Evidence for estrogen receptor beta-selective activity of Vitex agnus-castus and isolated flavones. Planta Med 2003;69:945-7.
27. Liu J, Burdette JE, Sun Y, Deng S, Schlecht SM, Zheng W, et al. Isolation of linoleic acid as an estrogenic compound from the fruits of Vitex agnus-castus L. (chaste-berry). Phytomedicine 2004;11:1:18-23.
28. Daniele C, Thompson CJ, Pittler MH, Ernst E. Vitex agnus castus: a systematic review of adverse events. Drug Saf 2005;28:319-32.
29. Loch EG, Selle H, Boblitz N. Treatment of premenstrual syndrome with a phytopharmaceutical formulation containing Vitex agnus castus. J Womens Health Gend Based Med 2000;9:315-20.
30. Berger D, Schaffner W, Schrader E, Meier B, Brattstrom A. Efficacy of Vitex agnus castus L. extract Ze 440 in patients with pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS). Arch Gynecol Obstet 2000;264:150-53.
31. Halaska M, Beles P, Gorkow C, Sieder C. Treatment of cyclical mastalgia with a solution containing a Vitex agnus castus extract: results of a placebo-controlled double-blind study. Breast 1999;8:175-81.
32. Atmaca M, Kumru S, Tezcan E. Fluoxetine versus Vitex agnus castus extract in the treatment of premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Hum Psychopharmacol 2003;18:191-95.
33. Schellenberg R. Treatment for the premenstrual syndrome with agnus castus fruit extract: prospective, randomised, placebo controlled study. Br Med J 2001;322:134-7.