Tribulus terrestris
Earth Tribulus ( Tribulus terrestris)
The Earth puncture vine ( Tribulus terrestris ), also called Erdsternchen, is a flowering plant in the genus Burzeldorne ( Tribulus ) from the family of Jochblattgewächse ( Zygophyllaceae ). It is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical countries in Asia, Africa, southern Europe and northern Australia, and was introduced in the Neotropics.
Description of the plant
It is an annual or biennial herbaceous plant that reaches the plant height of 10 to 50 cm. The plant is hairy and has a felt-like gray. The feathery, 2.5 to 5 cm long leaves are composed of five to eight pairs of elliptic leaflets that are 5-10 mm long and 3-8 mm wide. Stipules are present.
The small, yellow flowers have a diameter of 1 to 1.5 cm and are available on short pedicels. Each flower has ten stamens.
The hard, often spiny capsule fruits (there is a great variability in the spines of very prickly until smooth ) have a diameter of 1 cm and are 4-8 mm long. The species can bloom throughout the year.
Varieties
The species is very variable in size and shape of the leaves, fruits and flowers. There are several varieties:
- Tribulus terrestris var bicornutus
- Tribulus terrestris var inermis
- Tribulus terrestris var robustus
- Tribulus terrestris terrestris var
Pharmacology
The fruits contain tannins, a glycoside, volatile oil, linoleic acid, peroxidase and Others
Earth Tribulus is used as a tonic and to promote virility. In laboratory studies, this effect has been demonstrated in rats. The animals also gained weight. Further investigations have shown an increase in the androgen receptors in the rat brain. However, an influence on the hormone production in humans initially could not be proven in a clinical study. Nevertheless, it is known as " steroid replacement " and as " natural anabolic steroid " very common in bodybuilding and weight training, although no scientific confirmation of positive effects missing on building muscle so far.
The plant extract has an anti-hypertensive effect in rats. As with other plants, show the saponins contained a strong antifungal effect.