Chaste tree (Vitex)

Vitex agnus-castus, commonly known as chasteberry or chaste tree, is a Mediterranean shrub with a long history of use in traditional medicine for female reproductive health. The dried fruit contains a complex mixture of bioactive compounds, including iridoid glycosides (primarily agnuside), flavonoids, and clerodadienol-type diterpenes. Agnuside is a major iridoid glycoside that serves as a key marker compound for standardization of Vitex extracts and is present in significant, reliably quantifiable concentrations in pharmaceutical preparations [1]. The pharmacological effects of Vitex agnus-castus on reproductive health are primarily mediated through dopaminergic activity at the hypothalamic-pituitary level, leading to modulation of prolactin secretion. This activity is mainly attributed to clerodadienol-type diterpenes rather than agnuside itself. However, agnuside contributes to the overall pharmacological profile and has demonstrated distinct biological activities in preclinical research [1,2,3]. Pharmacokinetic studies confirm that agnuside is absorbed after oral administration and is detectable in plasma, with validated analytical methods (UHPLC-MS/MS) available for its measurement, supporting its bioavailability and potential systemic effects [2].