The effects of Vitex agnus-castus supplementation on inflammatory markers in women with PCOS: a randomized, double-blind, placebocontrolled trial

Background and purpose: To evaluate the effects of Vitex agnus-castus supplementation on serum levels of inflammatory cytokines (primary outcomes: tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6); secondary outcome: anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH)) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Experimental approach: This secondary analysis included 40 serum samples (20 Vitex and 20 placebo) randomly selected from a previously registered randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in women with PCOS. Participants received either Vitex (5.8 mg/day, standardized to 0.42-0.82 mg aucubin) or a placebo for 12 weeks. Serum TNF-α, IL-6, and AMH were measured at baseline and week 12 using ELISA. Within- group changes were assessed with paired t-tests, and between-group differences were analyzed using independent t-tests and ANCOVA using SPSS v23.0 software. Findings/Results: Vitex supplementation significantly reduced serum TNF-α (141.27 ± 24.27 to 91.28 ± 19.57 pg/mL), IL-6 (71.72 ± 13.63 to 48.91 ± 24.19 pg/mL), and AMH (11.21 ± 3.89 to 7.88 ± 4.87 ng/mL) levels, whereas the placebo group showed no significant changes. The between-group differences were significant for all markers. These findings suggest potential benefits in reducing inflammation and improving ovarian function, pending confirmation in future clinical outcome studies. Conclusion and implications: Vitex supplementation may offer a complementary approach to managing inflammation and hormonal disturbances in women with PCOS.