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Chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus)

Proven PMS symptom relief

Vitex agnus-castus is a Mediterranean plant whose extract is used to relieve the physical and mood-related symptoms of PMS. An exclusive extract made from the plant’s fruit is the key ingredient of Premular.

Research Specific extract

Vitex agnus-castus, commonly known as Vitex or Chaste tree, was first recognised for its medicinal benefits over 2000 years ago.1 Today the use of Vitex is well documented and recommended worldwide for the relief of PMS symptoms.1-2

 

In Premular®, a specific extract from the fruit of Vitex agnus-castus – called Ze 440 – is used. Premular with Ze 440 has been extensively researched in clinical studies for PMS symptom relief and menstrual cycle irregularities.3-6

 

Discover more about Ze 440 used in Premular and the key studies that support its benefits.

Vitex agnus-castus in history

Vitex agnus-castus, commonly known as Vitex or Chaste tree, is a small shrub that is native to the Mediterranean. It is used to make a herbal remedy that is commonly used for menstrual complaints. The shrub has purple flowers and fruit, and it’s the fruit that is harvested to create the medicinal extract. 1-2

The value of Vitex agnus-castus has been known for at least 2000 years and was used historically for general digestive complaints and to help women with menstrual difficulties.1

 

Today medicinal extracts of Vitex are widely recommended for the relief of PMS symptoms and to help improve menstrual cycle irregularities.

Vitex agnus-castus in history

Specific Ze 440 extract used in Premular

The Premular extract of Vitex agnus-castus is known as Ze 440 and is clinically proven to relieve symptoms of PMS.3-6 A series of strict quality control processes are used to produce Ze 440 to help ensure a consistent high quality of each batch of Premular, with every tablet containing the same composition and dose of Ze 440.

Each Premular tablet contains:

Extract equivalent to dry Vitex agnus-castus fruit 180 mg

= Ze 440 extract 20 mg

 

The therapeutic benefits of Ze 440 are based on several clinical trials and studies involving hundreds of women with PMS and menstrual irregularities. This research has shown that Premular relieves premenstrual and menstrual symptoms of:3-6

  • Irritability and anger
  • Mood changes
  • Headaches 
  • Menstrual pain and cramping
  • Breast fullness
  • Bloating
  • Menstrual cycle irregularities
Specific Ze 440 extract used in Premular

Research on how Ze 440 works

Preclinical research suggests that Ze 440 extract may work by affecting dopamine and influencing prolactin levels. To understand how Premular works, it’s important to first understand PMS.

It is suggested that PMS may be linked to hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle and in neurotransmitters linked to the cycle irregularities. Learn more about neurotransmitters. 

 

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is suggested to help regulate the hormone prolactin through a biochemical pathway in the body.7-8 When a woman experiences PMS, she may have lower dopamine levels, leading to increased prolactin levels, which ultimately may result in some of the symptoms of PMS.

 

While the exact mechanism of action of Ze 440 is unknown, pre-clinical research  suggests that Premular with Ze 440 may influence dopamine levels to help keep prolactin levels in check, and assist to provide relief from PMS symptoms.8

Research on how Ze 440 works

Clinical studies on Ze 440 in Premular

Premular with exclusive extract Ze 440 is backed by years of clinical research across hundreds of women for relief of PMS symptoms, including a controlled clinical trial published in the prestigious British Medical Journal.3

Berger et al. 2000

43 women with premenstrual syndrome over 8 menstrual cycles

Significant improvement

of

  • PMS symptoms overall which included improvements in:
    Menstrual pain
    Mood changes
    Negative feelings
    Fluid retention

Berger D, et al Arch Gynecol Obstet 2000;264:150-153.

Schellenberg et al. 2001, British Medical Journal

170 women with premenstrual syndrome over 3 menstrual cycles

Significant improvement

vs. placebo of:

  • PMS symptoms overall including:
    Irritability
    Mood changes
    Anger
    Headaches
    Breast fullness (soreness)

Schellenberg R, et al. Phytomedicine 2012;pii:S0944-7113(12)00280-2.

Schellenberg et al. 2012

162 women with premenstrual syndrome over 3 menstrual cycles

Significant improvement

vs. placebo of:

  • PMS symptoms overall including:
    Irritability
    Mood changes
    Anger
    Headaches
    Bloating
    Breast fullness (soreness)

Schellenberg R, et al. Phytomedicine 2012;pii:S0944-7113(12)00280-2.

Eltbogen et al. 2015

211 women with menstrual cycle irregularities over 3 menstrual cycles

Improvement

of:

  • Menstrual cycle irregularities
    Menstrual bleeding symptoms

Eltbogen R, et al. J Gynäkol Endokrinol 2015;25(2):10-15.

SFI Health Difference

Ze 440 in Premular vs. Vitex

 

There may be several products on the market labeled as containing a particular ingredient – such as Vitex. So what makes the Ze 440 extract in Premular different?

 

Natural healthcare products containing Vitex can vary considerably depending on how they are produced. The specific Ze 440 extract used in Premular is the result of a highly controlled production process with careful consideration at every stage of creation. This helps to ensure that the final product is:

  • High quality with a consistent amount and composition of active ingredient
  • Consistently reliable, batch after batch
  • Researched in clinical studies

That means, you can be sure that the product you are getting contains the exact ingredient, in the exact amounts demonstrated in clinical research to provide PMS symptom relief. That’s the SFI Health difference.  

Premular with Ze 440: A Summary

Relief of PMS symptoms & menstrual irregularities

Relieve premenstrual symptoms including mood changes, headache, bloating, cramps and breast fullness. Assists to improve menstrual irregularities3-6

Clinically supported

Clinical research shows significant improvement of both physical and mood-related symptoms of PMS3-5

Consistent quality

Rigorous quality control processes and extensive testing to help ensure that the Ze 440 extract can provide the desired health outcomes demonstrated by clinical studies

Well tolerated and used worldwide

Well-established tolerability based on clinical research, years of use and worldwide surveillance reports

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What is PMS?

What is PMS?

Lifestyle insight

The complex of combination of physiological, physical and psychological changes that occur monthly, during the luteal or second phase of the menstrual cycle, constitute the premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

PMS Symptoms

Our source to patient philosophy

We make sure our natural medicines are consistent.

Not only do the clinical studies on our products demonstrate real health outcomes, they demonstrate the results you can expect from the same products you see on shelf. It’s all part of our Source to Patient philosophy.

See the steps taken to make our products
References
  1. Excerpt from Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs: Chaste tree fruit. American Botanical Council. http://cms.herbalgram.org/expandedE/ChasteTreefruit.html?ts=1540268103&signature=83feaa1b4fbfdcf3952043d4910519e6 Accessed October 2018
  2. Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC). EMEA/HMPC/144003/2009
  3. Schellenberg R, et al. BMJ 2001;322:134-137.
  4. Berger D, et al. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2000;264:150-153.
  5. Schellenberg R, et al. Phytomedicine 2012;pii:S0944-7113(12)00280-2.
  6. Eltbogen R, et al. J Gynäkol Endokrinol 2015;25(2):10-15.
  7. Carroll et al. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 3; 171-180, 1978.
  8. Meier, et al. Phytomedicine. 2000;7(5):379-381

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