TRIBULUS TERRESTRIS (LINN): BOTANY, MEDICINAL USES, CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND IN VITRO REGENERATION A REVIEW.

Umadevi V. and Srinathrao*

ABSTRACT

Nearly all culture, from ancient times, has used plants as a source of medicine. Herbal medicines have been in use since ancient times for general health and for specific diseases, particularly, in developing countries, great number of people depends on the traditional system of medicine for a variety of diseases. There are more than 35,000 plants species being used in various human cultures around the world for medicinal purposes. The World Health Organization reported that 80% of the world’s population rely mainly on traditional medicine and a major part of the traditional therapies involve the use of plant extracts or their active constituents. The traditional heritage of India includes many time tested medicinal plants one of such important medicinal plant is Tribulus terrestris (Linn).

Keywords: T. terrestris, aphrodisiac, anticancer agent, cardiac disorders, In vito propagation.