• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Herbal Resource

Information on Medicinal Herbs & Functional Medicine

  • Home
  • Herbs List
  • Herbs by Health Condition
  • Latest Posts
  • Phytochemicals
  • Our Authors

Tribulus Terrestris – Side Effects and Health Benefits

Pin1K
Share19
Share
Reddit
Flip
Tweet
Share
1K Shares

Botanical Name: Tribulus terrestris.

Other Common Names: Puncture vine, caltrop, yellow vine, and goathead, abrojo de tierra caliente (Spanish), gokshura (Sanskrit), ci ji li (Chinese), Burzeldorn (German), croix-de-malte (French).

Habitat: Tribulus terrestris can be found in the moderate and tropical climates in Europe, America, Africa, Australia, and southern Asia.

Its name comes from the extreme sharp thorns that grow from the seed. The Latin word “tribulus” is translated as “caltrop” which means a peaked weapon.

It grows well in wild and uninhabited places and thrives in a moist sandy soil in full sun. It is considered a good forage plant for bees.

Cultivation of tribulus must be done with great caution because the species can in areas with suitable climate soon become a very troublesome weed. When the plant began to spread uncontrolled in California in the 1960s a snout-beetle had to be introduced from India to feed on the plant.

Plant Description: Tribulus terrestris blooms with small yellow flowers containing only 5 petals.

It grows with multiple stems that spring out from one crown. It has pinnate leaves made of two rows of little leaflets (less than a quarter-inch long), which are arranged opposite each other along the stem.

The fruit appears a week after blooming; its seeds are firm and stiff and have two sharp spines 10 mm long.

Plant Parts Used: The fruits are used in herbal medicine. They are collected when they are mature and dried for later use in decoction.

The young shoots and leaves can be boiled and used as a vegetable.

Tribulus terrestris flower
Tribulus Terrestris Flower

Therapeutic Uses, Benefits and Claims of Tribulus Terrestris

The main active ingredients of tribulus is believed to be kaempferol, kaempferol 3-glucoside, kaempferol 3-rutinoside, tribulosin and harmine.

It also contains active compounds called steroidal saponins which are mainly found in the leaf of the plant.

Tribulus terrestris was used as a weapon by South African tribes. The thorny seeds were collected, dipped in poison and then placed on the ground waiting for rival tribes to step on.

Tribulus seems to work by increasing the levels of luteinizing hormone. This hormone sends a signal through the body to start producing testosterone which is why it has become popular herbal remedy to increase libido and as an herb to improve fertility naturally.

There have been many studies in recent years aimed to validate the health benefits of tribulus. These studies have mostly been on animals and the results have been somewhat mixed. There seems that at least some of the health benefits of tribulus terrestris could be valid but better and bigger studies are needed in the future.

The popularity of tribulus as an herbal remedy for erectile dysfunction might be because of its ability to relax smooth muscles and by this allowing greater blood flow to the genitals.

Because of its claim to increase testosterone levels naturally, it has become a popular herb for bodybuilding and as a remedy to gain weight for men.

Tribulus terrestris
Tribulus terrestris Illustration ©The Herbal Resource

Although the above are some of its more commonly known uses it has been used traditionally for a variety of other ailments.

In Europe, China and India, herbalists have found some success in using tribulus as a natural treatment for lowering blood pressure and as an herb for high cholesterol

It has also been used traditionally for nervous disorders, constipation and to stimulate the central nervous system and for the treatment of some types of headaches.

Tribulus terrestris demonstrates anti-microbial and anti-tumor properties as well. Finally, in addition to the plant’s active substances which seem to lower cholesterol, it also appears to act as an antioxidant.

Some researchers are also getting positive results in the use of it for hypertension and diabetes treatment but more studies are needed.

Dosage and Administration

As a powder or capsule:
The usual dosage of tribulus terrestris is between 85 to 250 mg three times daily, with meals or as recommended by the manufacturer.

As a tea:

  • 1. Grate, slice or powder 2g of tribulus tea.
  • 2. Simmer in a pot for 20 minutes.
  • 3. Strain and add sweetener as needed.
  • 4. If powdered, add honey, mix into a paste and add hot water.

As an extract:
As recommended by the manufacturer.

tribulus terrestris medicinal herb
Tribulus terrestris – Medicinal Herb

Side Effects and Possible Interactions of Tribulus Terrestris

People with breast or prostate cancer or other hormone-dependent conditions should not use tribulus. Side effects such as anxiety, agitation, restlessness, and difficulty sleeping may occur with overdose.

Photosensitivity reactions can occur due to the substance phylloerythrin (photosensitizing porphyrin) found in the plant.

The herb is contraindicated for people suffering from stomach inflammation, ulcers, serious digestion or liver disorders. It may also cause a gastro-intestinal upset.

Tribulus terrestris is extremely toxic to sheep. It can cause irreversible disorder in the brain, resulting in impaired muscle function and weakness in the hindquarters which can lead to death.

Supporting References

Tierra, Michael & Lesley Tierra: Chinese Traditional Herbal Medicine. Vol. 2. Materia Medica and Herbal Resource. Twin Lakes. Lotus Press 1998
Bensky, Dan & Andrew Gamble: Chinese Herbal Medicine. Materia Medica. Seattle, Washington. Eastland Press Inc. 1993.
Molony, David: The American Association of Oriental Medicine’s Complete Guide to Chinese Herbal Medicine. New York. Berkley Books 1998.
Bown, Deni: The Royal Horticultural Society New Encyclopedia of Herbs & Their Uses. London, England. Dorling Kindersley 2002.
Duke, James A.: Handbook of Medicinal Herbs. Boca Raton, Florida. CRC Press 2002.

The following two tabs change content below.
  • Bio
  • Latest Posts
My Facebook profileMy Google+ profile

Thordur Sturluson

Thor Sturluson has a BS in Biology, majoring in Botany, from the University of Maine and a masters degree in Zoology from the Open University in London. He's an experienced Biologist with a history of working in the environmental services industry. A trained scuba diver and researcher, Thor's has a keen interest in nature conservation and animal/plant protection. His work and botany passion has made The Herbal Resource what it is.
My Facebook profileMy Google+ profile

Latest posts by Thordur Sturluson (see all)

  • What is the Difference Between Hemp and Marijuana? - June 3, 2019
Pin1K
Share19
Share
Reddit
Flip
Tweet
Share
1K Shares

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Newsletter Sign-up

Subscribe to our mailing list and get interesting stuff and updates to your inbox weekly.

We respect your privacy and take protecting it seriously

Footer

  • Newsletters
  • Deals
  • Ethical Foraging – Do’s and Don’ts
  • Write for Us
  • Partner, Advertising & Commercial Relationships
  • Affiliate Agreement
  • Affiliate Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Categories

  • Functional Medicine
  • Grow Your Own Herbs
  • Herbs – General
  • Herbs – Scientific Evidence
  • Herbs for Specific Ailments
  • Medicinal Herb Profiles
  • Phytochemicals
  • Poisonous Plants
  • Sponsored Posts
  • Uncategorized

Follow

Subscribe to notifications

Contact Information

The Herbal Resource
523 E. 14th St.
Suite 5A
New York, NY 10009
Email: herb@herbal-supplement-resource.com

Amazon Affiliate Disclosure Statement

The Herbal Resource is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program as well as with other affiliate partners.

An affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to their products and services.

Looking for Something?

© Copyright 2018 The Herbal Resource · All Rights Reserved!

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
SettingsAccept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

SAVE & ACCEPT