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Plant
Remedies Agnus
Castus
Agnus
castus
Health problems related to the female hormonal system are typically
treated with HRT and antibiotics, both of which can, in the long term,
produce serious side effects. It is therefore encouraging to discover
research relating to the treatment of associated conditions by natural
medicines. One herbal remedy which has been found to be very successful is
the extract of the fruit Agnus castus which has been used since 1953 to
treat abnormal uterine bleeding and premenstrual syndrome as well as to
promote lactation in breast feeding mothers.
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Abnormal
uterine bleeding & Agnus Castus
The effects of extract of Agnus castus (trade name of the product used was
Agnolyt) were analysed in 51 women suffering from polymenorrhoea or
hypermenorrheoa causing abnormal menstrual cycles. The results showed that
normal cycles were achieved in half of the patients within 4-8 weeks, with
one third of the patients not responding at alp. (1).
Another study (2), again
uncontrolled, involving 40 women with abnormal periods due to glandular
hyperplasia, found that within 3 months of taking Agnolyt, normal
menstrual cycles were re-established within 3 months in 36 of the women
(90%).
In another report (3) 67
patients with glandular cystic herplasia were also successfully treated
with Agnolyt, reporting complete relief from symptoms following 6 - 36
months of treatment.
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PMS
& Agnus Castus
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is one of the most frequently seen conditions
in Gynaecological practice. According to some estimates, as many as 40 per
cent of sexually mature women are affected by it (4). One
retrospective study found that 87 per cent of all women suffer from PMS at
some time in their lives, and al-though most women grade their symptoms as
mild, up to ten per cent experience such intense symptoms that they
require medical treatment (5).
Two drug monitoring surveys
have been reported, covering 1542 patients with premenstrual syndrome who
had been treated with tincture of Agnus castus for periods of up to 16
years. The mean du-ration of treatment was 166 days, and the mean dose was
42 drops daily. Efficacy was assessed by the patients’ doctors as very
good, good or satisfactory in 92% of cases. Side effects occurred in only
32 patients (2.1%).
(1) Eine Behandlung von
Menstruationsstorungen ohne Hormone. Hippokrates 25 (22) 717 1945
(2) V. Probst, 0 Roth. Uber einen Pflanzenextrakt mit hormonartiger
Wirkung Dtsch med Woschr 79 (35) 1271-1275 (1954)
(3) Halder R Uber die Anwendungsmogtichkeiten der vitex agnus castus in
der Frauenheilkunde unter besonderer Berucksichtigun der Blutstorungen.
In-augural dissertation Tubingen 1957
(4) Lone 5, Borenstein R. The premenstrual syn-drome. Obstet Gynecol
Survey. 45(4) 220-228 (1990)
(5) Wickes SL. premensrual Syndrome. Primary care 15(3) 473-487. 1988.
(6) Dittmar Fw etal. Premenstrual Syndrome — Treat-ment with a
Phytopharmaceutical. Gynakologie 5(1) 60-68 1992.
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This page was last updated on 14 December 2006 22:14:20
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