A review on advancements in ethnomedicine and phytochemistry of Tribulus terrestris – a plant with multiple health benefits

Abirami P, Rajendran A. 2011. GC-MS Analysis of Tribulus terrestris. Asian Journal of Plant Science and Research 1, 13-16.

Adaikan P, Gauthaman K, Prasad R, Ng S. 2000. Proerectile pharmacological effects of Tribulus terrestris extract on the rabbit corpus cavernosum. Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore 29, 22-26.

Afolayan AJ, Yakubu MT. 2009. Erectile dysfunction management options in Nigeria.The journal of sexual medicine 6, 1090-1102. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2008.01064.x

Ajaib M, Khan Z, Khan N, Wahab M. 2010. Ethnobotanical studies on useful shrubs of district Kotli.Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan, Pakistan Journal of Botany 42, 1407-1415.

Al-Ali M, Wahbi S, Twaij H, Al-Badr A. 2003. Tribulus terrestris: preliminary study of its diuretic and contractile effects and comparison with Zea mays. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 85, 257-260. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0378-8741(03)00014-X

Al-Bayati FA, Al-Mola HF. 2008. Antibacterial and antifungal activities of different parts of Tribulus terrestris L. growing in Iraq. Journal of Zhejiang University Science B9, 154-159. http://dx.doi.org/10.1631/jzus.B0720251

Al-Yawer M, Hassan A, Haddad F, Al-Anee H, Al-Khateeb E. 2008. Effects of AL-Qutub (Tribulus terrestris) on the Spermatogenesis of the Mouse Testis: Histological, Histochemical and Morphometrical Studies. Journal of the Faculty of  Medicine Baghdad 50, 246-254.

Alavia SHR, Matin YM, Hadjiaghaee R, Ajani Y. 2008. Flavonoid Glycosides from Tribulus terrestris L. orientalis. Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 4, 231-236.

Amin A, LotfyM, Shafiullah M, Adeghate E. 2006. The protective effect of Tribulus terrestris in diabetes. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1084, 391-401. http://dx.doi.org/10.1196/annals.1372.005

Anand R, Patnaik G, Kulshreshtha D, Dhawan B. 1994. Activity of certain fractions of Tribulus terrestris fruits against experimentally induced urolithiasis in rats. Indian journal of experimental biology 32, 548-552.

Angelova S, Gospodinova Z, Krasteva M, Antov G, Lozanov V, Markov T, Bozhanov S, Georgieva E, Mitev V. 2013. Antitumor activity of Bulgarian herb Tribulus terrestris L. on human breast cancer cells. Journal of BioScience & Biotechnology 2,  25-32.

Arulmozhi P, Vijayakumar S, Kumar T. 2018. Phytochemical analysis and antimicrobial activity of some medicinal plants against selected pathogenic microorganisms. Microbial pathogenesis 123, 219-226. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.micpath.2018.07.009

Baburao B, Rajyalakshmi G, Venkatesham A, Kiran G, Shyamsunder A, Gangarao B. 2009. Anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities of methanolic extract of  Tribulus terrestris Linn plant.International Journal of Chemical Sciences 7, 1867-1872. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01443615.2018.1445706

Basaiyye SS, Naoghare PK, Kanojiya S, Bafana A, Arrigo P, Krishnamurthi K, Sivanesan S. 2018. Molecular mechanism of apoptosis induction in Jurkat E6-1 cells by Tribulus terrestris alkaloids extract. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine 8, 410-419. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcme.2017.08.014

Bashir A, Tahir M, Samee W, Munir B. 2009. Effects of Tribulus terrestris on testicular development of immature albino rats.Biomedica 25, 63-68.

Bayati Zadeh J. 2013. Physiological and pharmaceutical effects of Tribulus terrestris as a multipurpose and valuable medicinal plant. International Journal of Advanced Biological and Biomedical Research 1, 556-562.

Borran M, Minaiyan M, Zolfaghari B, Mahzouni P. 2017. Protective effect of Tribulus terrestris fruit extract on cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis in mice. Avicenna journal of phytomedicine 7, 250.

Bourke C, Stevens G, CARRIGAN MJ. 1992. Locomotor effects in sheep of alkaloids identified in Australian Tribulus terrestris.Australian veterinary journal 69, 163-165. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-0813.1992.tb07502.x

Burnett AL. 1997. Nitric oxide in the penis: physiology and pathology.The Journal of urology 157, 320-324. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0022-5347(01)65369-2

Cai L, Wu Y, Zhang J, Pei F, Xu Y, Xie S, Xu D.  2001. Steroidal saponins from Tribulus terrestri.Planta medica 67, 196-198. http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-2001-11650

Chen H, Chen Q, Xuan W. 2000. A new organic acid from Tribulus terrestris. Academic Journal of Second Military Medical University 11.

Chhatre S, Nesari T, Somani G, Kanchan D, Sathaye S. 2014. Phytopharmacological overview of Tribulus terrestris.Pharmacognosy reviews 8, 45-51. http://dx.doi.org/10.4103/0973-7847.125530

Chhatre S, Nesari T, Somani G, Kenjale R, Sathaye S. 2012. Comparative evaluation of diuretic activity of different extracts of Tribulus terrestris fruits in experimental animals. International Journal of Research in Phytochemistry and Pharmacology 3, 129-133.

DeCombarieu E, Fuzzati N, Lovati M, Mercalli E. 2003. Furostanol saponins from Tribulus terrestris.Fitoterapia 74, 583-591. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0367-326X(03)00152-7

Deepak M, Dipankar G, Prashanth D, Asha M, Amit A, Venkataraman B. 2002. Tribulosin and β-sitosterol-D-glucoside, the anthelmintic principles of Tribulus terrestris.Phytomedicine 9, 753-756. http://dx.doi.org/10.1078/094471102321621395

Do J, Choi S, Choi J, Hyun JS. 2013. Effects and mechanism of action of a Tribulus terrestris extract on penile erection. Korean journal of urology 54, 183-188. http://dx.doi.org/10.4111/kju.2013.54.3.183

El-Sheikh TM, Al-Fifi ZI, Alabboud MA. 2016. Larvicidal and repellent effect of some Tribulus terrestris L.,(Zygophyllaceae) extracts against the dengue fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae). Journal of Saudi Chemical Society 20, 13-19. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jscs.2012.05.009

Ganzera M, Bedir E, Khan I. 2001. Determination of steroidal saponins in Tribulus terrestris by reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography and evaporative light scattering detection. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 90, 1752-1758. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jps.1124

Gautam M, Ramanathan M. 2018. Saponins of Tribulus terrestris attenuated neuropathic pain induced with vincristine through central and peripheral mechanism. Inflammopharmacology 1-12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10787-018-0502-0

Gauthaman K, Adaikan P, Prasad R. 2002. Aphrodisiac properties of Tribulus Terrestris extract (Protodioscin) in normal and castrated rats.Life sciences 71, 1385-1396. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0024-3205(02)01858-1

Gauthaman K, Ganesan AP. 2008. The hormonal effects of Tribulus terrestris and its role in the management of male erectile dysfunction–an evaluation using primates, rabbit and rat.Phytomedicine 15, 44-54. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2007.11.011

Gopinath V, MubarakAli D, Priyadarshini S, Priyadharsshini NM, Thajuddin N, Velusamy P. 2012. Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles from Tribulus terrestris and its antimicrobial activity: a novel biological approach,Colloids and Surfaces B. Biointerfaces 96, 69-74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfb.2012.03.023

Hajmohamadi S. 2013. Physiological and pharmaceutical effects of tribulus terrestris as a multipurpose and valuable medicinal plant. International Journal of Advanced Biological and Biomedical Research 1, 1289-1295.

Hashim S, Bakht T, Marwat KB, Jan A. 2014. Medicinal properties, phyto-chemistry and pharmacology of tribulus terrestris L. (Zygophyllaceae). Pakistan Journal of Botany 46, 399-404.

Hedlund P, Aszódi A, Pfeifer A, Alm P, Hofmann F, Ahmad M, Fässler R, Andersson KE. 2000. Erectile dysfunction in cyclic GMP-dependent kinase I-deficient mice. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 97, 2349-2354. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.030419997

Heidari M, Mehrabani M, Pardakhty A, Khazaeli P, Zahedi M, Yakhchali M, Vahedian M. 2007. The analgesic effect of Tribulus terrestris extract and comparison of gastric ulcerogenicity of the extract with indomethacine in animal experiments. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1095, 418-427. http://dx.doi.org/10.1196/annals.1397.045

Hussain AA, Mohammed AA, Ibrahim HH, Abbas AH. 2009. Study the biological activities of Tribulus terrestris extracts. World Acadamy of Science Engineering and Technology 57, 433-435.

Hussain K, Nisar MF, Majeed A, Nawaz K, Bhatti KH. 2010. Ethnomedicinal survey for important plants of Jalalpur Jattan, district Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan.Ethnobotanical Leaflets 2010, 11.

Jiang YH, Jiang LY, Wu S, Jiang WJ, Xie L, Li W, Yang CH. 2018. Proteomic analysis reveals the renoprotective effect of Tribulus terrestris against obesity-related glomerulopathy in rats. Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin b18-00304.http://dx.doi.org/10.1248/bpb.b18-00304

Karimi JH, Malekzadeh SS, Hoshmand F. 2011.  The effect of the Tribulus terrestris extract on spermatogenesis in the rat. Journal of Jahrom University of Medical Sciences 9, 8-13. http://dx.doi.org/10.29252/jmj.9.4.8

Khan S, Kabir H, Jalees F, Asif M, Naquvi K. 2011. Antihyperlipidemic potential of fruits of Tribulus terrestris linn. Internnational Journal of Biomedical Research 2, 98-101.

Kianbakht S, Jahaniani F. 2003. Evaluation of antibacterial activity of Tribulus terrestris L. growing in Iran.Iranian Journal of Pharmacology and Therapeutics 2, 22-20.

Kim HJ, Kim JC, Min JS, Kim M-j, Kim JA, Kor MH, Yoo HS, Ahn JK. 2011. Aqueous extract of Tribulus terrestris Linn induces cell growth arrest and apoptosis by down-regulating NF-κB signaling in liver cancer cells.Journal of ethnopharmacology 136, 197-203. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2011.04.060

Kostova I, Dinchev D. 2005. Saponins in Tribulus terrestris–chemistry and bioactivity.Phytochemistry reviews 4, 111-137. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11101-005-2833-x

Kostov I, Dinchev D, Rentsch GH, Dimitrov V, Ivanova A. 2002. Two new sulfated furostanol saponins from Tribulus terrestris. Zeitschrift für Naturforschung C 57, 33-38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/znc-2002-1-206

Li JX, Shi Q, Xiong Q-B, Prasain JK, Tezuka Y, Hareyama T, Tanaka K, Namba T, Kadota S. 1998. Tribulusamide A and B, new hepatoprotective lignanamides from the fruits of Tribulus terrestris: indications of cytoprotective activity in murine hepatocyte culture.Planta medica 64, 628-631. http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-2006-957535

Lubna FM, Arshiya SM, Saad AM, Shabiya SM. 2014. Pharmacological activities of Tribulus terrestris. World Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 4, 136-150.

Manish K, Meenaksh P, Ravindra S, Ashok K. 2009. Evaluation of radiomodulatory influence of Tribulus terrestris root extract against gamma radiation: hematological, biochemical and cytogenetic alterations in Swiss albino mice.Pharmacologyonline 1, 1214-1228.

Maughan RJ, Depiesse F, Geyer H. 2007. The use of dietary supplements by athletes.Journal of sports sciences 22, 95-113. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0264041031000140581

Mitra N, Mohammad-Mehdi D, Reza ZM. 2012. Tribulus Terrestris L.(Zygophyllaceae) Flavonoid Compounds. International Journal of Modern Botany 2, 35-39. http://dx.doi.org/10.5923/j.ijmb.20120203.01

Najafi H, Firouzifar MR, Shafaat O, Ashtiyani SC, Hosseini N. 2014. Protective effects of Tribulus terrestris L extract against acute kidney injury induced by reperfusion injury in rats. Iranian journal of kidney diseases 8, 292.

Neychev VK, Mitev VI. 2015.Pro-sexual and androgen enhancing effects of Tribulus terrestris L.:Fact or fiction. Journal of ethnopharmacology 179, 345-355. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2015.12.055

Obreshkova D, Pangarova T, Mitkov S, Dinchev D. 1998. Comparative analytical investigation of Tribulus terrestris preparations.Farmacija 45, 10-12.

Pavin NF, Izaguirry AP, Soares MB, Spiazzi CC, Mendez ASL, Leivas FG, Cibin FWS. 2018. Tribulus terrestris Protects against Male Reproductive Damage Induced by Cyclophosphamide in Mice. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/5758191

Perveen A, Abid R, Fatima R. 2007. Stomatal types of some dicots within flora of Karachi, Pakistan.Pakistan Journal of Botany 39, 1017.

Phillips OA, Mathew KT, Oriowo MA. 2006. Antihypertensive and vasodilator effects of methanolic and aqueous extracts of Tribulus terrestris in rats.Journal of ethnopharmacology 104, 351-355. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2005.09.027

Pokrywka A, Obmiński Z, Malczewska-Lenczowska J, Fijatek Z, Turek-Lepa E, Grucza R. 2014. Insights into supplements with Tribulus terrestris used by athletes.Journal of human kinetics 41, 99-105. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2014-0037.

Prabhu N, Hadigal S. 2014. Effect of Tribulus terrestris on learning and memory in wistar rats.journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry 6, 68-71. http://dx.doi.org/10.5530/pj.2014.4.10

Qari SH, El-Assouli S. 2017. Evaluation of cytological and genetic effects of Tribulus terrestris fruit aqueous extract on cultured human lymphocytes. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences. http://dx.doi.org/0.1016/j.sjbs.2017.01.012.

Qi P, Zheng Y, Shen Y, Wang J, Bi Q, Feng R, Wu W. 2018. Characterization and discrimination of steroidal saponins in Tribulus terrestris L. and its three different aerial parts by Cheimical profiling with chemometrics analysis. Journal of separation science. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jssc.201800513

QU NN, YANG SS. 2007. Extraction and Determination of Chemical Constituents of Flavonides in Tribulus terrestris L.Journal of Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 3, 122.

Qureshi R, Maqsood M, Arshad M, Chaudhry AK. 2011. Ethnomedicinal uses of plants by the people of Kadhi areas of Khushab, Punjab, Pakistan.  Pakistan Journal of Botany 43, 121-133.

Rahmathulla S. 2013. Effect of Tribulus terrestris fruit aqueous extract on hyperlipidaemia and maintenance of liver architecture in isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction in rats. International Journal of Pharma and Bio Sciences 4, 983-992. http://dx.doi.org/10.1.1.432.3509

Ren Y, Chen H, Yang G, Zhu H. 1994. Isolation and identification of a new derivative of cinnamic amide from Tribulus terrestris.Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 29, 206.

Reshma P, Sainu NS, Mathew AK, Raghu K. 2016. Mitochondrial dysfunction in H9c2 cells during ischemia and amelioration with Tribulus terrestris L. Life sciences 152, 220-230. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lfs.2016.03.055

Samani NB, Jokar A, Soveid M, HeydariM, Mosavat SH. 2016. Efficacy of Tribulus terrestris extract on the serum glucose and lipids of women with diabetes mellitus. Iranian journal of medical sciences 41, S5.

Santos JC, Reis L, Destro-Saade R, Luiza-Reis A, Fregonesi A. 2014. Tribulus terrestris versus placebo in the treatment of erectile dysfunction: a prospective, randomized, double-blind study. Actas Urológicas Españolas (English Edition) 38, 244-248. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acuroe.2014.03.009

Sharifi AM, Darabi R, Akbarloo N. 2003. Study of antihypertensive mechanism of Tribulus terrestris in 2K1C hypertensive rat.Journal of Life Sciences 73, 2963-2971. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lfs.2003.04.002

Sharma DK. 2017. Enumerations on phytochemical and pharmacological properties of tribulus terrestris LINN: Indian Viagra. Asian Journal of Science and Technology 8, 6462-6267.

Sharma I, Khan W, Ahmad S. 2017. In vitro and ex vivo approach for anti-urolithiatic potential of bioactive fractions of gokhru with simultaneous HPLC analysis of six major metabolites and their exploration in rat plasma.Pharmaceutical biology 55, 701-711. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13880209.2016.1266671

Shinwari ZK, Qaiser M. 2011. Efforts on conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plants of Pakistan.Pakistan Journal of botany 43, 5-10.

Shirfule A, Sangamwar A, Khobragade C. 2011. Exploring glycolate oxidase (GOX) as an antiurolithic drug target: Molecular modeling and in vitro inhibitor study. International journal of biological macromolecules 49, 62-70. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2011.03.016

Singh S, Nair V, Gupta YK. 2012. Evaluation of the aphrodisiac activity of Tribulus terrestris Linn. in sexually sluggish male albino rats. Journal of pharmacology & pharmacotherapeutics 3, 43. http://dx.doi.org/10.4103/0976-500X.92512

Singh S, Raghavendra K, Singh R, Mohanty S, Dash A. 2008. Evaluation of Tribulus terrestris Linn (Zygophyllaceae) acetone extract for larvicidal and repellence activity against mosquito vectors. The Journal of communicable diseases 40, 255-261.

Song YH, Kim DW, Curtis-Long MJ, Park C, Son M, Kim JY, Yuk HJ, Lee KW, Park KH. 2016. Cinnamic acid amides from Tribulus terrestris displaying uncompetitive α-glucosidase inhibition. European journal of medicinal chemistry 114, 201-208. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejmech.2016.02.044

Su L, Feng SG, Qiao L, Zhou YZ, Yang RP, Pei YH. 2009. Two new steroidal saponins from Tribulus terrestris.Journal of Asian natural products research 11, 38-43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.steroids.2008.12.008

Sun B, Qu W, Bai Z. 2003. The inhibitory effect of saponins from Tribulus terrestris on Bcap-37 breast cancer cell line in vitro.Zhong yao cai Zhongyaocai Journal of Chinese medicinal materials 26, 104-106.

Sun W, Gao J, Tu G, Guo Z, Zhang Y. 2002. A new steroidal saponin from Tribulus terrestris Linn.Natural Product Letters 16, 243-247. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10575630290020541

Tharakan B, Manyam BV. 2005. Botanical therapies in sexual dysfunction. Phytotherapy Research 19, 457-463. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ptr.1634

Tilwari A, Shukla N,  Devi PU. 2011. Effect of five medicinal plants used in Indian system of medicines on immune function in Wistar rats. African Journal of Biotechnology 10, 16637-16645. http://dx.doi.org/10.5897/AJB10.2168

Wang B, Ma L, Liu T. 1990. 406 cases of angina pectoris in coronary heart disease treated with saponin of Tribulus terrestris. Zhong xi yi jie he za zhi Chinese journal of modern developments in traditional medicine 10, 85-87, 68.

Wang J, Zu X, Jiang Y. 2009. Five furostanol saponins from fruits of Tribulus terrestris and their cytotoxic activities. Natural product research 23, 1436-1444. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14786410902940990

Xu YX, Chen H-S, Liang H-Q, Gu ZB, Liu WY, Leung WN, Li TJ. 2000. Three new saponins from Tribulus terrestris.Planta medic 66, 545-550. http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-2000-8609

Xu Y, Liu Y, Xu T, Xie S, Si Y, Liu Y, Zhou H, Liu T, Xu D. 2010. A new furostanol glycoside from Tribulus terrestris.Molecules 15, 613-618. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/molecules15020613

Yang Q, Yang C. 2000. A New Steroidal saponin  from Chlorophytum malayense.Acta Botanica Yunnanica 22, 191-196.

Zheleva-Dimitrova D, Obreshkova D, Nedialkov P. 2012. Antioxidant activity of tribulus terrestris a natural product in infertility therapy.Internatinal Journal of  Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 4, 508-511.

Zhu W, Du Y, Meng H, Dong Y, Li L. 2017. A review of traditional pharmacological uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activities of Tribulus terrestris.Chemistry Central Journal 11, 60. http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13065-017-0289-x