Linn.Family: Verbenaceae.
Habitat: Mediterranean region; South-West Asian countries, up to Pakistan. (Seeds are imported from Iran.)
English: Monk's Pepper-tree, Hemp tree.Ayurvedic: Renukaa (seed). Renukaa and Harenukaa are synonyms in Indian medicine.Unani: Sambhaalu.Action: Dried ripe fruit—acts on the anterior pituitary gland, reducing FSH and increasing LSH; stimulates production of progesterone by reducing oestrogen; used as a substitution therapy in primary and secondary corpus luteum deficiency. Used for premenstrual syndrome, for regulating hormones in amenorrhoea and for bleeding between periods; also as a galactagogue and to assist bust development.
The herb is also used in the treatment of premature old age due to sexual excess, nervous debility and impotence (as a homoeopathic drug). Vitex agnus extract is found to lower prolactin levels in men (the decrease in prolactin levels results in improved sexual performance. Males with hyperprolacti- naemia frequently face impotence).Key application: In irregularities of menstrual cycle, premenstrual complaints, mastodynia. (German Commission E.) As a hormonal modulator. (The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia.)The methanolic extract of the flowering stems of Vitex agnus-castus yielded iridoids, angnucastoside-A, B and C, in addition to aucubin, agnuside, mussaenosidic acid and 6'-O-p-hy- droxybenzoylmussaenosidic acid, and phenylbutenone glucoside, myzoden- drone.Dopaminergic compounds, present in the herb, are clinically important compounds which improve premenstrual mastodynia and other symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.The herb may counteract birth control pills. (Sharon M. Herr.)
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