Vitex berries have a long history of use for their healthful properties extending back millennia. The well-known shrub is also referred to as chaste tree, taking this name from Greek legends associating the tree with chastity and faithfulness. Native to the Mediterranean, vitex berry is now cultivated in warm temperate regions throughout the world.
Vitex agnus-castus is a member of the vervain family with beautiful, fragrant spires of purple flowers blooming in late summer. The flowers ripen into small, hard, grey fruits called the vitex berry or chaste berry. Its peppery fruit has been used for hundreds of years; at least since the time of the Greek physician Dioscorides. The large shrub can grow up to nine feet tall and has opposite, palmately compound leaflets.
Vitex berries have been used in traditional European herbalism and were also popular in ancient Persian healing practices. The berries were employed for their beneficial qualities in ancient Greece as well as by monks during the Middle Ages in an effort to suppress sexual desire. These days, vitex berry is often utilized as a hormonal tonic for women throughout the many stages of womanhood. Vitex supports physical and emotional health during a woman's menstrual cycle and in the transition into menopause.*
Historically, vitex berries were macerated in wine, decocted as tea, or used externally as a fomentation. The branches were also used to make furniture. Typical modern-day preparations of vitex fruit include brewing as an herbal tea, tincturing, or cracking over food for a peppery spice. The powder is often encapsulated as a user-friendly herbal preparation.
Ingredients
Organic vitex berry and pullulan capsule. These vegan capsules are made from pullulan which is naturally fermented from tapioca.
Precautions
Vitex berry is not recommended for use with hormonal contraceptives. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. For educational purposes only.
