The ripening seeds, the flowers and the leaves along with the tender stem growth are all highly valued for their abundant medicinal properties. The leaves and the berries especially are very useful as a tonic herb for the female as well as the male reproductive systems. Greece and Rome were the first places where this shrub was used for treating diseases. Nowadays, you can find several medicinal products available in the market which includes Vitex plant as the main ingredient.

An extract of this plant acts as an excellent insect repellant and works effectively to repel insects that are commonly seen feeding on plants. Some of these include diamondback moth, semi-looper, hairy caterpillar, armyworm, rice stem borer and rice leaf borer. Using a spray that contains extract of Vitex, can be of tremendous help in pest control. You can get hold of the extracts from the market and use them to save your crops from harmful insects. Butterflies and bees like this plant because of their aromatic smell and because they loaded with nectar.

Throughout the season you can see these tiny creatures feeding themselves from Vitex. It blossoms throughout summer and is the main source of food for these organisms. The growth of this plant is fast and rapid. If not taken care of properly it can spread out and look messy. Researches and studies are going on regarding its effects on pests and how it helps in repelling insects. Despite extensive research, scientists have been unable to determine how they work.

There are many uses of this plant other than expelling insects. It acts on the reproductive system and controls menstrual complaints effectively. It is also used to remove fibroids and decrease menopausal complaints. It also has tremendous action in healing wounds and controlling infections.

The medicinal properties of this plant were known from the period of Hippocrates and he described vitex as the official medicinal plant. There are many species of vitex and extracts of all the leaves are useful in controlling pests. Recently it became evident that Vitex Rotundifolia has immense actions in repelling Aedes Aegypti. Fresh leaves of this plant were procured and an extract was prepared from it to use against this insect. This was possible because of the compound cyclopentene dialdehyde.