Vitex Agnus-Castus L.: Main Features and Nutraceutical Perspectives

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Vitex Agnus-Castus L.: Main Features and Nutraceutical Perspectives Perspective Vitex agnus-castus L.: Main Features and Nutraceutical Perspectives Eliana B. Souto 1,2,*, Alessandra Durazzo 3 , Amirhossein Nazhand 4, Massimo Lucarini 3, Massimo Zaccardelli 5, Selma B. Souto 6, Amelia M. Silva 7,8 , Patricia Severino 9,10,11 , Ettore Novellino 12 and Antonello Santini 12,* 1 Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Pólo das Ciências da Saúde, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal 2 CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal 3 CREA-Research Centre for Food and Nutrition, Via Ardeatina 546, 00178 Roma, Italy; [email protected] (A.D.); [email protected] (M.L.) 4 Department of Biotechnology, Sari Agricultural Science and Natural Resource University, 9th km of Farah Abad Road, Sari 48181 68984, Mazandaran, Iran; [email protected] 5 CREA-Research Centre for Vegetable and Ornamental Crops, Via Cavalleggeri 25, 84098 Pontecagnano (Salerno), Italy; [email protected] 6 Department of Endocrinology of Braga Hospital, Sete Fontes, 4710-243 São Victor, Braga, Portugal; [email protected] 7 Department of Biology and Environment, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, P-5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal; [email protected] 8 Centre for Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal 9 Industrial Biotechnology Program, University of Tiradentes (UNIT), Av. Murilo Dantas 300, 49032-490 Aracaju, Brazil; [email protected] 10 Tiradentes Institute, 150 Mt Vernon St., Dorchester, MA 02125, USA 11 Laboratory of Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine (LNMED), Institute of Technology and Research (ITP), Av. Murilo Dantas, 300, 49010-390 Aracaju, Brazil 12 Department of Pharmacy, University of Napoli Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Napoli, Italy; [email protected] * Correspondence: ebsouto@ff.uc.pt (E.B.S.); [email protected] (A.S.); Tel.: +351-239-488-400 (E.B.S.); +39-81-253-9317 (A.S.) Received: 14 May 2020; Accepted: 10 July 2020; Published: 16 July 2020 Abstract: Medicinal plants are used worldwide due to their lower risk of side effects and eco-friendly, cost-effective production when compared to chemical drugs, encouraging researchers to further exploit the therapeutic potential of the former. One of the most popular medicinal plants is Vitex agnus-castus L., grown in tropical and sub-tropical regions, to which different health benefits have already been attributed. In this perspective article, the in vitro and in vivo therapeutic properties of V. agnus-castus L. have been analyzed and reviewed with a special focus on its health-promoting effects and potential nutraceutical applications. Keywords: chaste tree; Vitex agnus-castus L.; bioactive compounds; in vitro studies; in vivo studies; nutraceuticals; health-promoting properties. 1. Introduction Medicinal wild plants and herbs have been considered worldwide for centuries as valuable tools in the management of different diseases, due to their ease of use and improved cost-effectiveness when compared to chemical remedies obtained from synthesis [1]. Plants have recently been exploited Forests 2020, 11, 761; doi:10.3390/f11070761 www.mdpi.com/journal/forests ForestsForests 20202020Forests,, 1111 2020,, x 761 FOR, 11, PEERx FOR REVIEW PEER REVIEW 22 of of 17 162 of 17 cost-effectivenesscost-effectiveness when whencompared compared to chemical to chemical reme diesreme obtaineddies obtained from fromsynthesis synt hesis[1]. Plants [1]. Plants have have recentlyfor nutraceuticalrecently been exploitedbeen purposes, exploited for nutrac as for they nutraceutical playeutical apurposes, key purposes, role as in thethey as development playthey aplay key a role key of food inrole the andin development the plant-derived development of of foodphytocomplexes andfood plant-derived and plant-derived with medicinal phytocomplexes phytocomplexes properties, with to medicinal bewith used medicinal in properties, health properties, conditions to be toused as be preventive usedin hea inlth hea orconditionslth curative conditions astools preventiveas [2 –preventive23]. or A curative popular or curative tools medicinal [2–23].tools [2–23]. plant A popular withA popular recognizedmedicinal medicinal plant beneficial plantwith wirecognized effthects recognized on humanbeneficial beneficial health effects effects is onVitex human agnus-castuson human health health L.is ,Vitex belonging is agnus-castusVitex toagnus-castus the Lamiaceae L., belonging L., belonging family to (formerlythe to Lamiaceae the Lamiaceae included family in family the (formerly Verbenaceae (formerly included family),included in in thenative Verbenaceaethe to Verbenaceae the Mediterranean family), family), native area native to and the to diMediterran fftheused Mediterran in Europe,ean areaean Asia, andarea diffused andandNorth diffused in AfricaEurope, in Europe, [24 Asia,,25]. Asia,and It has Northand been North AfricausedAfrica by[24,25]. people [24,25]. It has in Italy,Itbeen has Iran,usedbeen by Greece,used people by andpeople in Italy, Egypt in Italy,Iran, for Greece, overIran, Greece, 2500 and years, Egypt and Egypt mainly for over for to 2500over treat years,2500 gynecologic years, mainly mainly todisorders treatto gynecologic treat [26 ].gynecologic It is adisorders globally disorders famous[26]. It [26]. is plant a Itglobally is known a globally famous by di famousff erentplant plantnames,known known e.g.by di Fruit fferentby di defferent names, gattilier names, e.g. (French), Fruit e.g. Fruit deSauzgatillo gattilierde gattilier (French), (Spanish), (French), Sauzgatillo Mönchspfe Sauzgatillo (Sffpanish),erfrüchte (Spanish), Mönchspfefferfrüchte (German), Mönchspfefferfrüchte Panj-angosht (German), (Persian), (German), Panj-angos Frutto Panj-angos diht Agnocasto (Persian),ht (Persian), Frutto(Italian),Frutto di andAgnocasto di Chaste Agnocasto (Italian), tree (English) (Italian), and Chaste [and27]. Chaste tree (English) tree (English) [27]. [27]. TheThe term The agnus-castusterm agnus-castus combines combines thethe GreekGreek the Greek (ἀ γνmeaningo ῦ &mea, meaning pure,ning pure,chaste) pure, chaste) chaste) and theand and Latin the the Latin ( Latincastus (castus ( castusfrom from “castitas”from “castitas”“castitas” meaning meaning meaning chastity), chastity), chastity), repeating repeating repeating the theterm the term chasteterm chaste chaste for for“pure”, for “pure”, “pure”, which which which refers refers refers to to the the to anaphrodisiac anaphrodisiacthe anaphrodisiac propertiespropertiesproperties ofof thisthis of plant plantthis and plantand its useitsand use by its monks by use monks by to maintainmonks to maintain to celibacy maintain celibacy (thus celibacy the (thus “monk’s (thusthe pepper” “monk’sthe “monk’s synonym). pepper” pepper” synonym).The wordsynonym). “Thecastus word The” has word“castus been “”castus used has ” forbeen has centuries usedbeen forused to centuries remarkfor centuries furtherto remark to theremark further meaning further the or meaning the purity meaning associated or purity or purity associatedwith thisassociated plant. with Homer,thiswith plant. this the plant. Homer, semi-legendary Homer, the se themi-legendary author semi-legendary of the author Iliad author and of thethe of OdysseyIliad the Iliadand epic theand poems,Odyssey the Odyssey defines epic epic poems,agnus-castuspoems, defines asdefines agnus-castus a “tendril agnus-castus for as braiding”,a “tendril as a “tendril for explaining braiding”, for braiding”, the explaining origin explaining of thethe genusorigin the origin “Vitex”.of the of genus the Dioscorides, genus “Vitex”. “Vitex”. Dioscorides,the GreekDioscorides, physician, the Greek the used Greek physician, to suggestphysician, usedV. agnus-castus usedto suggest to suggest V.to decreaseagnus-castus V. agnus-castus libido. to Plinyd ector ead thesece rea Elder,libsied oli. thebPidlio famousn. yP ltheiny the Elder,RomanElder, the author, famous the famous naturalist, Roman Roman author, and naturalauthor, naturalist, naturalist, philosopher, and na anturald commented na philosopher,tural philosopher, that commented thisherb commented was that scattered this that herb this on herbwas the was scatteredbeds ofscattered Athenian on the on beds women the ofbeds whenAthenian of Athenian husbands women women went when to warwhen husbands to husbands ensure went their wentto loyalty. war to towar Pietro ensure to Andreaensure their their Mattioli,loyalty. loyalty. Pietroan ItalianPietro Andrea physician Andrea Mattioli, andMattioli, an botanist Italian an Italian of physician the XVIphysician century,and botanist and commented botanist of the of XVI in the his century, XVI text century, “Compendium commented commented in de his Plantis in text his text “CompendiumOmnibus“Compendium una cum de EarumPlantis de Plantis Iconibus”Omnibus Omnibus (1571) una withcumuna referencecumEarum Earum Iconibus” to the Iconibus” properties (1571) (1571) ofwithV. agnus-castus withreference reference toL. that:the to the properties“ ::: itproperties forces of theV. agnus-castusof impulses V. agnus-castus of L. Venus that: L. when “…that: it eaten “…forces it eitherforces the impulses fried the impulses or raw of Venus:::::: of Venus ..itwhen is believedwhen eaten eaten either that either notfried only friedor or raweating ...raw …..it or drinking... is…..it
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