Monday, April 18, 2011

Tribulus, also known as caltrop and puncture vine, is a natural product

Tribulus


DESCRIPTION:


Tribulus, also known as caltrop and puncture vine, is a natural product isolated from the aerial parts of the plant Tribulus terrestris.


Tribulus was traditionally used by the Greeks as a diuretic, mild laxative, and general tonic. In India, Tribulus is widely recommended in Ayurvedic rejuvenative formulas, particularly in the treatment of sexual dysfunction. In China, Tribulus has been a frequent component of therapy for a variety of disorders affecting the liver, kidneys, and urinary tract. For all its therapeutic and adaptogenic effects, the most common cross-cultural use of Tribulus has been in the treatment of infertility in women, impotence in men, and for increasing the libido of both sexes.


Recently, the fitness enhancing benefits of Tribulus have been brought to the attention of the athletic and body building industries as a result of its use by Eastern European Olympic and World Champion strength and power athletes.


PHYSIOLOGY:


Tribulus terrestris is rich in plant sterols, saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids, unsaturated acids, oils, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and protein. The active components are sterol saponins of furostanol type. The preparation is standardized on the base of the predominating compound protodioscin- not less than 40%.


The effects of Tribulus are the following:


Men: Restores and improves libido sexualis, improves and prolongs the duration of erection. It exerts a stimulating effect on spermatogenesis by increasing the number of spermatozoa and their mobility. It increases the level of testosterone by 33%.


Women: Restores and improves libido sexualis and exerts a slight ovulation effect. It has a favorable influence on vasomotory manifestation during natural menopausal and induced menopausal syndrome, as well as on subjective complaints such as insomnia, general tenseness, irritability, or apathy.


Tribulus also helps reduce cholesterol, lowers high blood pressure, inhibits stress-induced clumping of blood platelets, increases the strength of contraction of the heart muscle, reduces sodium and fluid retention, acts as an anti-urolithiatic (urinary/kidney stone preventing) and litholytic (dissolving), improvement of the profile of red and white blood cells, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti- inflammatory, and analgesic effects.


INDICATIONS:


The suggested use is as follows:


Men: Indicated for impotentic coeundi in Kleinfelter’s Syndrome, varicocele, cryptochism, testicular hypertrophy, and Noonan’s Syndrome. Tribulus is also indicated for sterility based on idiopathic oligoasthenazoospermia sterility and idiopathic azoospermia.


Women: Indicated for endocrinous ovarian sterility, menopausal and induced menopausal syndrome with expressed vasomotory and neurasthenic manifestations. Production of follicle- stimulating hormone and estradiol are increased to stimulate reproduction function.




DIRECTIONS FOR USE:


Dosage and duration of treatment are determined according to the character and the gravity of the symptoms. Most often the dosage is 250-500mg. three times daily with meals.


TOXICITY, CAUTIONS AND CONTRA-INDICATIONS:


No reported toxicity.






REFERENCES:


Dimitrov M., Georgiev P., Vitanov S., Use of tribestan on rams with sexual disorders. "Vet Med Nauki" 24(5) pp. 102-110 1987


Nadkarnia A.K., Indian Materia Medica, Popular Prakashan Private Ltd., Vol 1, pp.1229-1232 1976


Tornova M., Gyulemetovs R., Zarkova S., Tribestan Clinical Studies. pp. 1-27


Wright James E. Ph.D., A Natural Wonder. pp. 140-142, 214 "Muscle and Fitness" September 1996


source: http://www.nutrimart.com/bulk/description/tribulus.htm