Chaste tree berries are often used as a female tonic.* They benefit both the body and the mind through their balancing and normalizing properties, and they're often used for support during change-of-life periods.*
Botanical name: Vitex agnus-castus L.
Common name: chaste tree, monk’s pepper, chasteberry, Agnocasto (Spanish)
The most important compounds in chaste tree berries are the iridoid glycosides, aucbin and agnoside, and flavonoids, including casticin, to which extracts are often standardized. Chaste tree berries also contain an essential oil (0.5 to 2%) and around 5% fatty acids, primarily alpha-linolenic acid.
Did you know? The names chaste tree and monk’s pepper come from a medieval European custom of monks seasoning their food with the ground berries in the belief it would help them to remain chaste.