Pharmacopoeia analysis of some 'chaste tree' (Agni casti fructus ) plant materials those are sold in the market

Vitex agnus-castus (Verbenaceae) is known as hayıt in Turkey and is a medical plant that commonly grows in South, West, and North Anatolia. V. agnus-castus plant, known since IV century BC, is used for infertility, menstrual cycle disorders, premenstrual syndrome complaints, and elimination of complaints during the first phase of menopause. Phytochemical researches on the plant revealed that it contains iridoid glycosides, flavonoids, phenolic acids, diterpenes and essential oil. Biological activity studies showed that the plant has antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, neuroprotective, and hypoglycemic activities. The objective of this study was to reveal the quality parameters of drugs that are sold in the market, in Istanbul, by examining the compliance of the features in the monograph in European Pharmacopoeia 7.0. Within this framework, foreign material analysis, moisture determination, ash determination, high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), microscopy and macroscopy experiments were carried out on 14 different of chaste tree fruit materials obtained from the market. According to our studies performed on 14 different chaste fruit samples which are sold in the market, only samples 4, 8 and 14 were determined to be fully compliant with the microscopy, macroscopy, total ash determination, foreign matter determination, loss in drying, HPTLC and HPLC analysis criteria specified in the European Pharmacopoeia.