Chasteberry & Acne

Chasteberry, also called vitex, chaste tree and monk's pepper, has a reputation as a remedy for symptoms related to the female menstrual cycle, including cramps, breast pain and acne outbreaks. The leaves and flower heads of the herb provide key ingredients particularly useful in preventing teen acne. While further scientific analysis is needed to confirm the effectiveness of chasteberry as a zit zapper, the book "Prescription for Herbal Healing" by Phyllis A. Balch recommends using chasteberry as the first herbal line of attack in flare-ups.

Description

Chasteberry, an aromatic tree native to Greece, Italy and western Asia, grows to 20 feet tall and has lance-shaped leaves and delicate, lilac-blue flowers. Its red-yellow berries emit a peppery aroma.

Cultivation

The chaste tree grows well in the southern United States, particularly in zones six to nine. It thrives on moist riverbanks but can flourish wherever there is well-drained, moist soil. Keep moisture in by placing a layer of pine bark mulch around the plant. Give it plenty of water each week, and cut it back every year to keep it from becoming too bushy. The flowers bloom from June to December, and the berries can be picked and dried in the fall for medicinal use.

Benefits

Acne is often caused by hormonal imbalances. Chasteberry's key constituents are progesterone, hydroxyprogesterone, testosterone, epitestosterone, androstenedione and volatile oils, all of which help reduce symptoms of pre-menstrual syndrome and other disorders related to hormone function, including acne, according to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Chasteberry's agents help restore a normal estrogen-to-progesterone balance and have a regulatory effect on the pituitary gland. In addition, the analgesic effect of chasteberry can inhibit pain associated with pus-filled pimples.

Medicinal Use

Chasteberry is available in tea, tincture, tablet and capsule form. According to the website Nutritional Wellness, a 1997 survey conducted by herbalists in the United Kingdom found that most people take 500 mg chasteberry supplement daily. Alternatively, you can drink up to three cups of chasteberry tea daily. Chasteberry is slow-acting, so your acne problem may take as long as six months to clear up. As with all other herbs, talk with your physician before using it medicinally.

Side Effects

Pregnant and nursing women should avoid chasteberry, as should women taking birth control pills. Do not take chasteberry if you have a history of estrogen-sensitive cancers such as breast, cervical or uterine.
Men wishing to have children should not take the herb, as it can inhibit testosterone and sperm production and cause testicles to atrophy, according to "Prescription for Herbal Healing." Use of chasteberry can occasionally cause stomach upset, headaches, agitation and skin rash. Additionally, those who take medication for Parkinson's disease should refrain from using chasteberry.