Can Vitex Agnus castus Be Used for the Treatment of Mastalgia What Is the Current Evidence英文文献资料.docVIP

Advance Access Publication 17 November 2007 eCAM 2008;5(3)247–250 doi:10.1093/ecam/nem074 Review Can Vitex Agnus Castus be Used for the Treatment of Mastalgia? What is the Current Evidence? A. R. Carmichael Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley DY1 2HQ, West Midlands, UK There have been many treatments suggested for the management of mastalgia; one of these is the fruit extract of Vitex Agnus castus L. commonly known as Agnus castus, an extract of a deciduous shrub native to Mediterranean Europe and Central Asia. It is postulated that A. castus suppresses the stress-induced latent hyperprolactinemia which is a release of supra- physiologicallevelsofprolactininsomepatientsinresponsetostressfulstimuli.Itispostulated that A. castus could be effective in the treatment of cyclical mastalgia by inhibiting the release of excess prolactin by blocking Dopamine-2 receptor type on pituitary. The adverse events following A. castus treatment are mild and reversible. The aim of this review is assess the efficacyofA.castusinthetreatmentofmastalgia.Datafromrandomizedandnon-randomized studies regarding the efficacy and safety of A. castus is reviewed in a systematic fashion. It is concluded that A. castus can be considered as an efficient alternative phytotherapeutic agent in the treatment of mastalgia. Keywords: mastalgia–premenstrual syndrome–drug therapy–vitex Introduction inthemanagementofpainiswelldocumented(2).Agnus castus, like other herbal treatments (3), has been used in thetreatmentofmanyconditionsofwomen’shealthsuch as menstrual disorders (amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea), premenstrual syndrome, corpus luteum insufficiency, hyperprolactinemia, infertility, acne, menopause and disrupted lactation (4–12). Agnus castus is thought to be affective in the management of mastalgia because of its dopminergic effects. It is postulated that A. castus suppressesthestress-inducedlatenthyperprolactinemiain patientssufferingfromcyclicalmastalgia.Thepurposeof thisreviewistoanalyzethecurrentevi