Tribulus

History of Tribulus

The legend of Tribulus being aphrodisiac is certainly old: Paulus Aegineta (625-690 AD), in volume three of his famous Seven Books on medicine, gives an account of Tribulus. His work, largely a compilation of knowledge from earlier authors on medicine, was translated from the Greek in the 1840's by Frank Adams, with extensive commentary. Here is the entry on Tribulus:

"Tribolus, the Caltrop, is moderately refrigerant; the land species is strongly desiccative, but the water slightly so, and it is moistening. Both are befitting remedies in incipient inflammations and other influxes. The fruit of the land caltrop, consisting of subtile parts, breaks renal calculi.

"COMMENTARY: It seems to be clearly made out that the one is the Tribulus terrestris, and the other the Trapa natans. According to Pliny, their juices are anti-inflammatory, and form a proper application to phlegmons and ulcers; an ingredient in collyria; discuss strumae, and prove lithontriptic. (H. N. xxii, 12.) He borrows this account of them, however, mostly from Dioscorides. (iv, 15.) Our author manifestly copies from Galen, and both Aetius and Oribasius do the same. We have not found them in the works of Hippocrates and Celsus. The Arabians treat of them at more length than the Greeks. See Avicenna (ii, 2, 382); Rhases (Cont. 1. ult. i, 721); Serapion (c. 112); Ebn Baithar (i, 307.) They recommend both species as being aphrodisiac, lithontriptic, and diuretic. Both the species here described, that is to say, the Trapa natans and Tribulus terrestris, although they have been long excluded from our Dispensatories, are still not wholly unknown in the shops. [4]

At first glance, one might question whether the commentary has made a correct identification of the plant - however Tribulus terrestris has been a well known plant since ancient times and on the basis of this, together with the spiky pods which would appear to be a strong identifying feature, there would seem to be little reason to doubt the identification. Tribulus is mentioned in Moitz Hoffmann's 1676 Florilegium Altdorffinum and has a complete entry in Robert Lovell's Compleat Herball of 1665. This work mentions that Tribulus may be effective against kidney stones and snakebite, but makes no mention of any aphrodisiac properties. [5]

Wikipedia states that the practice of using Tribulus to increase sex drive originated in Eastern Europe in the 1970's [1]. However, this statement ignores the fact that Tribulus terrestris has been indicated as an aphrodisiac in the Indian Ayurveda system (although this is mentioned later in the Wiki article).

Known by its Sanskrit name "Gokshura", it is indicated in Ayrurveda for the kidneys and urinary system and is said to increase the desire and ability for sex. [2] Traditional Chinese Medicine also lists Tribulus terrestris - under the name Ji Li or Bai Ji Li - and the fruit is used for impotence / male fertility and urinary problems amongst other conditions. [3]

Some of the writers of the 19th century, listing plants and materia medica of India, make no mention of aphrodisiac qualities for Tribulus: Robert Hamilton Irvine's 1841 Some account of the general and medical topography of Ajmeer is one such - although this work does mention several other aphrodisiacs from its select list of three hundred of the most significant articles from the pharmocopoiea of that time and place.

However the 1840 Transactions of the Medical and Physical Society of Bombay states that Tribulus lanuginosus (seed) capsules are "supposed to be aphrodisiac".

Is Tribulus an Aphrodisiac?

Turning to science; Tribulus (as one might expect for an herb marketed and well known as a product for atheletes, bodybuilders and those wishing to improve sexual performance) has been the subject of a fair amount of research. Of the 174 studies appearing on Pubmed, several focus on the effects of the plants on sexual function. Here are a selection from the ones listed:

A 2001 study isolated three steroidal saponinsfrom Tribulus terrestris. [6] Steroidal saponins are "building blocks" that may help the body create steroids (steroids stimulate muscle growth and testosterone activity and this might account for both the presence in male formulas and the aphrodisiac legends.)

A 2000 study at the National University of Singapore found that protodioscin, a constituent of Tribulus terrestris, showed proerectile activity in rabbits. It was presumed that this was caused by increased release of nitric oxide from the endothelium and nitrergic nerve endings - but the exact mechanism of action was not ascertained. [7] Another study in 2000 reported that the protodioscin in Tribulus was not consistently produced - depending on the soil the plant was grown in. [8]

Further studies at the National University of Singapore on male rats further confirmed that Tribulus terrestris appeared to possess proerectlie aphrodisiac acticity. [9] [10]

A 2005 study at the Medical University of Bulgaria found that Tribulus did not influence androgen production in young men. [11]

A 2007 study at the National Organization For Drug Control and Research, Cairo, Egypt, found that Tribulus elatus increased testosterone levels in male rats. [12]

Recent studies have isolated new steroidal saponins from Tribulus terrestris [13] [14] - and it's clear that research is continuing - itself an indicator of the significant interest in Triblulus.

Conclusion

There would appear to be some validity to the old legends surrounding the aphrodisiac qualities of Tribulus - with a significant body of scientific research having been done and several positive results in animal tests. In the course of this research I have also not read of any significant side effects associated with the use of Tribulus. (this is not medical advice).

Note - I have read that powdered Tribulus terrestris may have on occasion been adulterated with some other plant, and that the best way to prevent this might be to get the whole fruit.

Tribulus is listed in the AHPA's "Herbs of Commerce", p.290. [7]