BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of stroke in premenopausal women is lower than men. In fact, estrogen is known as a potent neuroprotective agent in cerebral ischemia before menopause. Phytoestrogens are considered to be less risky than chemical estrogens. In this study, considering the phytoestrogenic properties of Vitex agnus custus, the effects of the ethanolic extract of this plant on stroke outcomes in a model of middle cerebral artery occlusion were investigated in ovariectomized mice.

METHODS: In this experimental study, 32 mice, weighing 25-35 g, were randomly divided into 4 groups (8 mice per group): 1) sham group, 2) control group (ovariectomized, treated with 1 ml/kg saline for one month, followed by stroke induction), 3) Vitex group (ovariectomized, treated with 80 mg/kg of Vitex extracts in 1 mL saline every day for a month), and 4) estrogen group (ovariectomized, treated with 40 μg/kg of estradiol valerate in 1 mL saline every day for a month). After one month, stroke was induced in ovariectomized mice by cauterizing the middle cerebral artery. Infarct volume and neurological disorders were evaluated one week after stroke induction.

FINDINGS: A week after stroke induction, infarct volume in the control, estrogen, and Vitex groups was 11.98±2.33, 3.41±1.01, and 5±1.10, respectively. Vitex extracts and estrogen could decrease infarct volume, compared to the control group (p<0.05). Also, estrogen and Vitex extracts reduced neurological deficits, compared to the control group (p<0.001). A week after stroke induction, sensorimotor disorders in the control, estrogen, and Vitex groups were 50±7, 15±2, and 21±4.09, respectively. In fact, a significant difference was observed between the control and other groups (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION: The findings of the present study showed that Vitex extracts, similar to estrogen, have neuroprotective effects, following middle cerebral artery occlusion in ovariectomized mice.