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Chasteberry is used for premenstrual symptoms and breast pain, with some trial support for premenstrual symptoms. Combined with St John's wort it did not help menopausal symptoms. It has plant hormone activity and in laboratory studies may weaken hormone therapies, so people with hormone-sensitive cancers should ask their team first.
Chasteberry fruit is said to normalise the menstrual cycle through dopaminergic and progestin-like actions. Memorial Sloan Kettering's About Herbs entry reports clinical studies suggesting it reduces premenstrual symptoms, with a systematic review calling for better-designed trials, preliminary data for breast pain, and no benefit for menopausal symptoms when combined with St John's wort. Because it has phytoestrogenic properties, MSK advises people with hormone-sensitive cancers to consult their physicians, and it should be avoided in pregnancy and breastfeeding. Preclinical studies suggest it may decrease the effects of hormonal therapies and contraceptives, may interfere with antipsychotics and dopamine agonists, and inhibits CYP2C19 and CYP3A4 in vitro; the clinical relevance of each is not yet known. Side effects include nausea, headache, digestive upset, menstrual disturbance, acne and rash. Its combination with St John's wort brings in that herb's well-documented interactions with cancer drugs.
Diterpenes act on dopamine D2 receptors and lower prolactin; other constituents bind opioid and oestrogen receptors.
Query for this technology: (TITLE:"Chasteberry" OR ABSTRACT:"Chasteberry" OR TITLE:"Vitex agnus-castus" OR ABSTRACT:"Vitex agnus-castus" OR TITLE:"Chaste tree" OR ABSTRACT:"Chaste tree" OR TITLE:"Monk's pepper" OR ABSTRACT:"Monk's pepper") AND (cancer OR tumor OR tumour OR oncology OR carcinoma OR lymphoma OR leukemia OR leukaemia OR myeloma OR sarcoma OR melanoma OR glioma). Results are unfiltered search hits about Chasteberry, not a curated reading list.
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Shares Dietary supplements during cancer treatment: interactions and harms, Evidence-based integrative oncology, Toxicity and quality of life are undervalued and the tags complementary, supportive-care.
Shares Dietary supplements during cancer treatment: interactions and harms, Evidence-based integrative oncology, Toxicity and quality of life are undervalued and the tags complementary, supportive-care.
Shares Dietary supplements during cancer treatment: interactions and harms, Evidence-based integrative oncology, Toxicity and quality of life are undervalued and the tags complementary, supportive-care.
Shares Dietary supplements during cancer treatment: interactions and harms, Evidence-based integrative oncology, Toxicity and quality of life are undervalued and the tags complementary, supportive-care.
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