Physiological and Pharmaceutical Effects of Tribulus Terrestris as a Multipurpose and Valuable Medicinal Plant

Tribulus terrestris is a herbal remedy which is used for various purposes in folk medicine. It has been used as tonic, aphrodisiac, astringent, analgesic, stomachic, antihypertensive, diuretic and urinary anti-septic. It is about 30 to 70cm high; it grows as a summer annual, has pinnately compound leaves, yellow flowers and stellate shaped carpel fruits. Since the past decades, some plants have been playing important role in disease curing along with artificial medications commonly called medicinal plants. Some have compared the tonic properties of Tribulus terrestris to the effects of ginseng, but these occur due to entirely different mechanisms. It is also claimed that Tribulus terrestris increases testosterone by increasing gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) which in turn stimulates the production of LH and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). Testosterone, besides its role in muscle-building and raising fertility and libido, is also known to have a positive effect on bone marrow activity (for red blood cell production) and the immune system.