PHARMACOGNOSY AND PHARMACOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF TRIBULUS TERRESTRIS: A REVIEW

Harshith Kumar K. N., Avinash V. K., B. Sivakumar and Rajesh H. J.*

ABSTRACT

Tribulus terrestris (family Zygophyllaceae), commonly known as Gokshur or Gokharu or puncture vine, has been used for a long time in both the Indian and Chinese systems of medicine for treatment of various kinds of diseases. Its various parts contain a variety of chemical constituents which are medicinally important, such as flavonoids, flavonol glycosides, steroidal saponins, and alkaloids. It has diuretic, aphrodisiac, antiurolithic, immunomodulatory, antidiabetic, absorption enhancing, hypolipidemic, cardiotonic, central nervous system, hepatoprotective, anti‑inflammatory, analgesic, antispasmodic, anticancer, antibacterial, anthelmintic, larvicidal, and anticariogenic activities. In order to evaluate the therapeutic claims made for this plant in traditional medicine, the ethanol extract of T. ferrestris (fruit) was tested for activity against artificially induced urolithiasis in albino rats. Tribulus terrestris is used as a urinary anti-infective in folk medicine. To validate this use, the in vitro anti- bacterial activity of methanolic extracts of different parts (fruits, stems plus leaves and roots) of T. ter- restris L. Antifungal activity of natural products is being studied widely. Saponins are known to be antifungal and antibacterial. We used bioassay-guided fractionation to have isolated eight steroid saponins from Tribulus terrestris L.

Keywords: Tribulus terrestris; Antiurolithiatic activity; Antibacterial activity; antifungal activity.