Chinese Chaste Tree

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Chinese Chaste Tree
• Five Leaved Chaste
• five-leaf chastetree
• Five-leaved chaste tree
• Yellow Bramble

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Vitex agnus-castus var. negundo
• Agnus-castus negundo

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, situated within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is further classified under the order Lamiales and the family Lamiaceae, eventually falling into the genus Vitex.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning several continents and climatic zones. In Southeastern Europe, its presence can be documented in Bulgaria. Moving toward the African continent, it is found in Northeast Tropical Africa within Somalia and in East Tropical Africa in Tanzania. Its range extends further south to include Mozambique in South Tropical Africa. Finally, the species is also located in the Western Indian Ocean on the island of Mauritius.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Vitex negundo is characterized by its ability to thrive across diverse topographical gradients, specifically occupying an elevational range that extends from a minimum of 300 m AMSL to a maximum of 1700 m AMSL. It typically colonizes disturbed areas, riparian zones, and moist habitats, demonstrating significant adaptability to various soil types and moisture levels. This plant often acts as a pioneer species in subtropical and tropical environments, utilizing its resilient growth patterns to establish itself in sunny, open landscapes where it can effectively compete for resources within its specific altitudinal limits.

Elevational range max:

1700 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

300 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Vitex negundo is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, it develops significant woody structures that elevate its photosynthetic organs above the ground level, though it can also exhibit traits consistent with a nanophanerophyte depending on its environmental context and growth habit. This species follows a deciduous life cycle, shedding its leaves seasonally in response to climatic shifts.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Vitex negundo is characterized by a woody growth form that typically manifests as either a shrub or a small tree. As a terrestrial species, it functions as an independent organism, lacking any parasitic or epiphytic tendencies. The plant is self-supporting in its structure, rather than acting as a climber, liana, or vine. In terms of stature, it can reach an average height of approximately 3 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

3 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Vitex negundo is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The plant features elliptic-lanceolate leaf forms with a distinctly dissected leaf margin, contributing to its specific morphological architecture. Structurally, the foliage lacks both leaf thorns and leaf spines, maintaining a smooth profile along its edges. In terms of leaf economics and resource allocation, the plant exhibits a Specific Leaf Area (SLA) with a consistent value of 247.8248391 cm²/g across its minimum, mean, and maximum measurements, indicating a specific strategy for light interception and leaf mass distribution. Furthermore, Vitex negundo does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on external soil nitrogen availability for its nutritional requirements.

Leaf form :

elliptic-lanceolate

Leaf margin :

dissected

Leaf spines :

no

Leaf thorns :

no

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) min:

247.8248391 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Vitex negundo is characterized by a distinct flowering period that typically begins in April and concludes in June, though the timing can be variable. The plant utilizes a biotic pollination syndrome, specifically relying on insects to facilitate the transfer of pollen. The resulting seeds are quite small, with a mean mass of 0.0133 g, though individual seed weights can range from a minimum of 0.0044 g to a maximum of 0.0222 g.

Flowering time :

Apr

Flowering time :

Jun

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass max:

0.0222 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0133 g

Seed mass min:

0.0044 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Vitex negundo has 4 reported plant parts identified across 25 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, seed, root, stem.

Leaf

1. Molecular biology reports
2. Natural product research
3. Journal of pharmaceutical analysis
4. Natural product communications
5. Tropical biomedicine

Seed

1. Journal of natural products
2. Molecular biology reports
3. Fitoterapia
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
5. PloS one

Root

1. Molecular biology reports
2. Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR
3. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Stem

1. Environmental technology

Chemicals

Vitex negundo has 74 reported phytochemicals identified across 25 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Agnuside, Lignans, Iridoids, Negundoside.

Flavonoids

1. Molecular biology reports
2. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
3. Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR
4. Natural product communications
5. Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France)

Agnuside

1. Journal of pharmaceutical analysis
2. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
3. Tissue & cell
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Lignans

1. Molecular biology reports
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
3. Journal of enzyme inhibition and medicinal chemistry
4. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Iridoids

1. Molecular biology reports
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
3. Natural product communications

Negundoside

1. Journal of molecular modeling
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin

Steroids

1. Molecular biology reports
2. Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France)
3. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Terpenoids

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
2. Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France)
3. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Artemetin

1. RSC advances
2. Saudi pharmaceutical journal : SPJ : the official publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society

CHLOROGENIC ACID

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Isoorientin

1. PloS one
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Activities

Vitex negundo has 18 reported activities identified across 25 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Hepatoprotective, Analgesic, Antibacterial.

Antioxidant

1. Molecular biology reports
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
3. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
4. Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR
5. Biomedical chromatography : BMC

Antimicrobial

1. Molecular biology reports
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
3. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
4. Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France)
5. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Hepatoprotective

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
2. Archives of pharmacal research
3. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
4. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Analgesic

1. Indian journal of experimental biology
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Chemistry & biodiversity

Antibacterial

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC
2. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
3. PloS one

Anticancer

1. Molecular biology reports
2. Natural product research
3. Cytotechnology

Antidiabetic

1. Molecular biology reports
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
3. European journal of pharmacology

Antifungal

1. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters
2. Chinese journal of integrative medicine
3. PloS one

Nephroprotective

1. Pharmacognosy research
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Neuroprotective

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Medicinal Uses

Vitex negundo has 69 reported medicinal uses identified across 25 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include asthma, cancer, Candida albicans, inflammation, pain.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations