---
title: Is Vitex agnus castus safe and effective for treating PMS and PMDD?
description: All 8 included trials showed Vitex agnus castus was better than comparison treatments and was well tolerated, but the studies used different definitions of PM
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/vitex-agnus-castus-for-premenstrual-syndrome-and-premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-2017/
---

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- Is Vitex agnus castus safe and effective for treating PMS and PMDD?

Systematic review, 2017

# Is Vitex agnus castus safe and effective for treating PMS and PMDD?

All 8 included trials showed Vitex agnus castus was better than comparison treatments and was well tolerated, but the studies used different definitions of PMS, different outcome measures, and different Vitex preparations, making confident conclusions difficult.

 Strong study design

Individuals with PMS or PMDD in 8 randomized controlled trials

## What they did

Systematic review searching PubMed and Scielo for randomized controlled trials comparing Vitex agnus castus to placebo or active treatments in people with PMS or PMDD. Studies had to describe blinding and dropouts. Two independent reviewers reached consensus on 8 included trials.

## What they found

Eight RCTs were included, mostly studying PMS. All eight studies reported positive results for Vitex agnus castus in treating PMS or PMDD. Vitex agnus castus was overall well tolerated. Three different preparations of Vitex were tested across the studies.

## What it means for you

While the results are promising and safety is good, significant variation between studies in how they defined PMS, measured outcomes, and prepared Vitex limits confidence in combining and comparing the findings.

8

Randomized controlled trials

8

Studies showing positive results

3

Different Vitex preparations tested

## About the study

Original title Vitex agnus castus for premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder: a systematic review Authors Cerqueira RO, Frey BN, Leclerc E et al. Journal Archives of women's mental health Year 2017 Study design Systematic review What was tested Vitex agnus castus (three different preparations) Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1007/s00737-017-0791-0](https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-017-0791-0)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Vitex agnus-castus (chasteberry)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-vitex/)[Other herbal medicine](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-herbal-other/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

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