Tribulus terrestris is a plant belonging to the Zygophyllaceae family of plants. Tribulus terrestris is commonly called puncture vine, caltrops, Gokshur or Gokharu. The plant is used in traditional medicine to treat a number of ailments and its physiological effects relate to the phytochemical profile iit possesses. Tribulus terrestris has been shown to possess flavonoids, tannins, steroidal saponins, and alkaloids. It has been reported that the saponin concentrations in the plants vary between different geographical locations, and this is relevant because the saponins are thought to confer some of the health effects of the herb, particularly the testosterone levating effects. The saponin content of the plant is considered to generally contain furostanol and spirostanol saponins of tigogenin, neotigogenin, gitogenin, neogitogenin, hecogenin, neohecogenin, diosgenin, chlorogenin, ruscogenin, and sarsasapogenin types. In addition, furostanol glycosides including protodioscin and protogracillin are also found in the plant. The main flavonoids in Tribulus terrestris include kaempferol, kaempferol‑3‑glucoside, kaempferol‑3‑rutinoside, quercetin 3‑O‑glycoside, quercetin 3‑O‑rutinoside, and kaempferol 3‑O‑glycoside and tribuloside [kaempferol‑3‑β‑d‑(6″‑p‑coumaroyl) glucoside]. The alkaloids present in Tribulus terrestris include harmane and norharmane, and the β‑carboline alkaloid, tribulusterine is also present.
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Chhatre, S., Nesari, T., Somani, G., Kanchan, D. and Sathaye, S. 2014. Phytopharmacological overview of Tribulus terrestris. Pharmacognosy Reviews. 8(15): 45-51
