Agnus Castus

Chaste Tree

Vitex agnus-castus

People who respond well to this remedy may be anxious about their health, especially their sexual health, and may have a strong presentiment of their own death. Agnus castus is given chiefly to people with low energy levels, depression, poor sexual vitality, and a low libido.

As the name "chaste tree" suggests, this herb was once thought to lower the libido. It was often chewed by monks, and in Italy blossoms are still strewn in the path of novices entering a convent.

The dried, ripe berries of angus castus are macerated in alcohol.

Uses

The twigs of this aromatic shrub (chaste tree) are very flexible and are used in basket making, while the red fruits are used as a flavoring. Herbalists still use the berries to increase hormone production during PMS or menopause. The remedy was proved by Hahnemann between 1826 and 1830.
This remedy is most effective during menopause and for treating physical breakdown that results from the abuse of alcohol or medications, or from excessive sexual intercourse. It is given for depression, anxiety, and fatigue, with mental dullness and despair. Symptoms include premature ejaculation, particularly in men with a previously high sex drive, and loss of libido in women, for example, around menopause. Agnus castus is used for scanty or excessively heavy menstruation, or an enlarged uterus, possibly with a staining vaginal discharge. Agnus castus is also good for loss of breast milk after childbirth and associated postpartum depression.