Vitex (Chaste Tree) (Vitex agnus-castus) · Herb Profile

At a glance

Botanical name: Vitex agnus-castus
Family: Lamiaceae
Part used: Berry
Taste: Pungent, Bitter
Temperature: Cool
Moisture: Dry

On temperature, Gerard (1633) reads it as warm. The app keeps cool, the modern reading of what the herb does in the body; the old readings are shown here but do not change it.

Safety at a glance

In pregnancy

Contraindicated

While breastfeeding

Avoid during early breastfeeding — may reduce prolactin (anti-galactagogue); use only if weaning is goal.

For children

Avoid under 18

Cautions

Avoid with hormone-sensitive conditions; dopamine medications interaction; not for short-term use

General contraindications

Contraindicated

Stewardship

Vitex (Vitex agnus-castus) is Mediterranean cultivated; 'chaste tree' for its historical monastic use. Stewardship: the name and tradition carry a theological freight that Eden handles carefully — the plant's terrain action (hormonal modulation) is Creator-given medicine.

In the traditional record

Vitex / Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus) — referenced by Hippocrates, Theophrastus, and Pliny as a women's remedy used in the Greek Thesmophoria rites; the species name agnus-castus ("chaste lamb") reflects the medieval Christian monastic tradition of carrying or strewing the seeds in cloisters as an aid to vows of celibacy.

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Educational use

The Apothecary is educational and does not constitute medical advice. Nothing here is intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before changing what you take, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or managing a diagnosed condition.

On our sources

These entries draw on public-domain materia medica, most of it published before 1900, alongside a smaller number of modern reference works. Energetic qualities such as warming, cooling, drying and moistening are a traditional framework for describing how a plant behaves in the body, not a laboratory measurement. Where a period source states one, we cite it. Where none does, and for many North American herbs none exists, the value reflects modern herbal consensus rather than a historical text. When we cannot support a caution with real evidence, we say nothing rather than guess.