Tribulus terrestris L. (Zygophyllaceae)

Abstract

An annual herb, found in India, Iran, Mediterranean region, China, Black Sea, Australia, Africa, and generally in all tropical countries. The plant was known to Dioscorides and Pliny, as both mentioned it in their writings. Dioscorides and Galen stated that it increases semen, relieves dysuria and urinary bladder pain, and disintegrates both kidney and bladder stones. Hindus in India medicinally use both the fruit and the root, as they regard them having cooling, diuretic, tonic and aphrodisiac properties, and use them in the treatment of gonorrhea and dysuria. In Ayurveda, leaves are considered useful in urinary calculi, the stem is astringent and its infusion is used in gonorrhea, and the roots are aperients, demulcent and tonic. Being alterative, diuretic, demulcent and aphrodisiac, an infusion is used to relieve painful micturition, to increase flow of urine, and as a vehicle for diuretic medicines in dysuria, gonorrhea, urinary disorders, and for the relief of nocturnal emmisions, incontinence of urine and impotence. It is generally used with hyoscyamus and opium. The fruit is bitter and pungent in taste, and is used as tonic in nocturnal emissions, neuroasthenia, vertigo, and as astringent for oral inflammations, and as an analgesic for relieving rheumatic pain. It is one of the most commonly used plants by Siddha practitioners of Tamil Nadu state in India, for urinary ailments. It is commonly used in folk medicine of Turkey as diuretic and against colicky pains, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. In modern times, it is marketed as herbal supplement used by athletes and bodybuilders in the belief that it can enhance testosterone concentrations. In TCM, it is described as astringent and tonic, under the name Chi-li. Chemical composition varies with geographical location and in different parts of the plant. Plants grown on different soils do not consistently produce protodioscin. Protodioscin improves sexual desire and enhances erection via the conversion of protodioscine to DHEA. Its sugar, starch and nitrate contents also vary under different physiological conditions. Steroidal saponins are considered to be responsible for the biological activity, the concentration and composition of which vary by geographical origin of the plant.