Simpleleaf Chastetree

Parts Usually Used

Leaves, flowers, fruit, roots, inner bark

Description of Plant(s) and Culture

Vitex trifolia is a shrubby evergreen tree that can grow up to 5-6 meters tall. Its flowers are violet to purple in color and are about 5 mm long. The yellow-brown fruits are about 6 mm in diameter and contain four small, black seeds.

Where Found

Simpleleaf Chastetree is a coastal plant that is native to Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Thailand.

Medicinal Properties

Vitex trifolia contains antimicrobial, analgesic, antitubercular, hepatoprotective, insecticidal, anti-inflammatory, antihistamine, antioxidant, and antiasthmatic properties. The roots have diaphoretic and diuretic properties. According to Asian Journal of Traditional Medicines : Biological assays of [Vitex trifolia] plant organic extracts have shown a number of important activities.

Hexanic and dichloromethanic extracts, when prepared from stems and foliage, have proved to be very toxic against cultures of several cancer cell lines. Also, an important anti-feeding activity against the insect pest Spodoptera frugiperda has been recorded. The hexanic extract of the leaves completely inhibited the growth of the fungal plant pathogen Fusarium sp. The essential oils of Vitex trifolia have been shown to having insecticidal activity.

Biochemical Information

Vitex trifolia fruit contains flavonoids, sterols, and terpenoids as well as vitricin, fatty oil, p-hydroxy benzoic acid, p-anisic acid, and vanillin. The leaf contains volatile oils, which are mainly α-pinene, β-pinene, phenol, 1,8-cineole and α-terpineol. This plant contains potentially bioactive molecules, such as diterpenoids, iridoids, derivatives, flavonoids and phytosteroids.

Legends, Myths and Stories

Simpleleaf Chastetree is often used as a background shrub or a small multi-trunk shade tree. The seeds and flowers of this plant are used to make decorative leis Because of oils in the leaves that are distateful to insects and mosquitoes, they are often burned as an insect repellant. The wood is used to make tools and axe handles. The wood is often burned for fuel. Vitex trifolia.

L an endangered medicinal plant.

Uses

In the Cook Islands, traditional practitioners used the leaves for menstrual cramps and other female ailments, and applied them externally for sprains, rheumatic pains, and inflammation. Herbalists also prepared the flowers for fevers accompanied by vomiting. Historically, a decoction of the roots was administered for fever and liver complaints, while a decoction of the dried fruit was utilized for headaches, the common cold, mastitis, and watery eyes.

In some traditions, the inner bark was chewed for dysentery, and the fresh juice was applied for headaches. Folk practices also involved using leaf baths for beriberi. Traditional healers additionally employed the plant for expelling mucus, managing fevers, lowering blood pressure, and addressing the common cold, prosopalgia, chronic tracheitis, sinusitis, periodontitis, and rheumatism.