Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Agnuside is a key iridoid glycoside found in the fruit of Vitex agnus-castus (chaste tree), a plant traditionally used in European and Mediterranean herbal medicine to support female reproductive health, particularly for menstrual irregularities. The historical use of Vitex agnus-castus dates back centuries, with records in ancient Greek and Roman texts describing its use to address symptoms like irregular cycles, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and mild hyperprolactinemia.

The rationale for its traditional use is believed to be its potential effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, indirectly influencing hormone levels. While agnuside is a major active constituent, most available research focuses on the whole fruit extract rather than isolated agnuside. Some modern clinical studies show modest benefit of Vitex agnus-castus extracts in normalizing menstrual cycles and reducing symptoms of PMS, but these studies rarely isolate agnuside as the active component. The overall quality and scale of the evidence is limited, and there is insufficient high-quality clinical data specifically validating agnuside alone for menstrual irregularity.

In summary, the use of agnuside for menstrual irregularity is primarily supported by traditional use, with some preliminary scientific interest in the whole plant extract. The strength of evidence for agnuside specifically is low, earning a rating of 2 on the evidence scale.

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More about Menstrual Irregularity

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