Chaste tree for Menopause
Chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus) has only weak and conflicting evidence for menopausal symptoms, so it should not be considered a reliable treatment. Its established use is for premenstrual syndrome, not menopause.
Why this grade7-layer evidence engine
The clinical record for menopause is thin and contradictory, which is why this earns a weak, disputed grade. Only one small single-center Iranian RCT of Vitex alone (PMID 31067851, n=52) found benefit, improving overall Greene Climacteric scores, anxiety and hot-flush (vasomotor) symptoms, but it showed no effect on depression, physical complaints or sexual function. It has not been independently replicated.
Crucially, the largest and most rigorous trial (PMID 18791483, n=100, 16 weeks, Australia) tested Vitex combined with St. John's wort and found no difference from placebo on hot flushes or any other endpoint. Other 'positive' results come from a combination product also containing Nigella and the antidepressant citalopram (PMID 30129806), or from a tiny 14-person post-hoc subgroup of the negative trial (PMID 19757982) that measured PMS-like, not classic menopausal, symptoms. A 2026 narrative review (PMID 41630367) leans favorable but concedes the trial evidence is insufficient.
Authorities reinforce the caution. The WHO recognizes Vitex for premenstrual syndrome and other gynecological complaints, but not for menopause, and major menopause clinical guidance does not endorse it for hot flashes. The herb's prolactin-lowering mechanism fits PMS far better than the estrogen-decline biology of menopause. It can also interact with hormone therapy, contraceptives and dopaminergic drugs, so consult a clinician before use.
Scoring transparency
All scores computed by a 7-layer evidence engine — fully auditable▸View the full decision path (audit trail)
- compute_raw_score — 加權公式: L2×0.30 + L3×0.25 + L5×0.25 + L11×0.10 + L1×0.10 = 0.425
- tier_from_score — 依分數區間映射至 tier letter
- apply_hec_rules — 無高階證據可裁決
- tier_strict_requirement_check — Tier 條件達標，未降階
- detect_disputes — 偵測到 1 個 hard + 0 個 soft dispute
- decide_status — 依 tier + dispute 結果決定 status