Gokshura, Puncture Vine (Tribulus Terrestris) - Properties, Benefits & Dosage

Gokshura is a small, prostrate, hirsute or silky hairy herb. Its leaves are stipulate, opposite, usually unequal, pinnate, leaflets 5-8 pairs, oblong, mucronate. The flowers are solitary, axillary or leaf opposed, yellow or white. The fruits are globose, hairy, 5-angled, and spinous with two long and two short spines on each cocci and their seeds are obliquely pendulous.

General Description

It is one of the most popular herb in the world due to male sex power enhancement property. The herb is especially found in southern Europe, Asia, throughout Africa and Australia. The other common names are bullhead, bindii, caltrop, burra gokharu, gokshura, cat's head, devil's eyelashes, devil's thorn, devil's weed, puncture vine, tackweed.

As per Ayurveda, Gokshura is known as best aphrodisiac. In ancient Ayurvedic texts, gokshura (Tribulus fruits) are used as powder along with milk to get best effects on male sex power enhancement and boosts sexual performance.

It is found in forests and in Hindu Religion people used this for worshipped during Dusshehra festival. According to Ayurvedic traditions, Gokshura is a wonderful healing plant with a broad range of properties, it is popular with common name "Puncture Vine" and the abbreviated Latin name Tribulus, where it is used for its demonstrated ability to increase Luteal Hormone in men and women, leading to increased testosterone.

One of the interesting concept mentioned in Ayurvedic Text is called Yatra Akrutihi, tatra gunaaha vasanti, its meaning is if the shape of herb is similar to organ than that herb is most likely to have benefit in respective organ or related disease. Tribulus fruits is similar to oxalate stones of kidneys and bladder and it is very effective in the treatment of the same problem.

Classification

• Kingdom - Plantae
• Order -Zygophyllales
• Family- Zygophyllaceae

Habitat

Tribulus terrestris  is commonly known as Gokshura or Tribulus. It is native to Sub Himalayan forests of India, Burma and several other countries.

Names

• Latin name - Tribulus terrestris
• Common name- Gokshur
• Sanskrit name- Gokshuraka, Trikata, Svadamshtra, Traikantaka
• Bengali name- Gokshura, Gokhri
• English name- Caltrops, Puncture vine
• Assamese name- Gokshura, Gukhurkat
• Hindi name- Gokhru
• Punjabi- Bhakhra, Gokhru
• Kannada name- Sannanaggilu, Neggilamullu, Neggilu
• Malayalam name- Nerinjil
• Tamil name- Nerinjil, Nerunjil
• Telugu name- Palleru
• Marathi name- Bala, Chikana, Tupkaria
• Oriya name- Gukhura, Gokhyura
• Marathi name- Sarate, Gokharu
• Urdu- Khar-e-Khasak Khurd

Ayurvedic Properties

Effects On Doshas

It helps to balance the Vata, Pitta & Kapha doshas in body.

Ancient Verse About Tribulus Terrestris

The Bhavprakash nighantu edition of 1998: verse 44-46, page no-292-293.

• It states Gokshura has different Sanskrit names like goksur, kshurk, trikant, swadukantak, gokantak, gokshurak, vankasharanghat, shavdanshtra, palanksha and kashugandhika.
• The second verse states that Gokshura is sweet in taste and has cooling properties. It has property to strengthen the muscles (balakark), vrishaya (aphrodisiac), vastishodhana, deepana, pusthikar, ashmariharaha, prameha (diabetes), shwaasa kaasa (respiratory disorders), arsha (piles), hridya roga (cardiac diseases). It has property to pacify vata and pitta doshas in body.

REFERENCE:-

The Bhavprakash nighantu with elaborated Hindi commentary by Padmashri prof. K.C. Chunekar, edited by Dr. G.S. Pandey: edition of 1998: verse 44-46, page no-292-293.

Practical Uses Of Tribulus Terrestris

• Aphrodisiac activity - It increases the libidoin both men and women. The herb helps to enhance energy and boosts your vitality that makes you feel strong and healthy. It is used as sex booster and improves quality of semen.
• Gall bladder and urinary disorder - It acts as natural diuretic. This herb gives effective results in diseases like kidney stones, urinary bladder infection and urinary tract disorders. It promotes the flow of urine, cools and soothes the membranes of the urinary tract and remove stones.
• Gokshur increases the level of testosteronein males.
• It is also very effective in disease like diabetes mellitus and diabetes insipidus.
• This herb enhances level of testosterone in male body and helps in muscular body building.
• It is one of powerful herb used in the obesity treatment. The herb also increases strength of an individual.
• Gokshur is quite effective in the severe headache and migraine.
• The herb manages problem like gout and arthritis.
• It also increases the activity of the heart and helps to lower down the high blood pressure and cholesterol level.