Health Benefits of Gokshura-Tribulus

The plant Tribulus is known as Gokshura in Ayurveda. Its common name in India is Gokhru. It is a flowering plant that grows in warm temperate and tropical regions. This is a small hairy herb that spreads on land and grows as a weed in many places. Its flowers are small and bright yellow in color. This plant bears hard fruits which have sharp spines. This plant has the scientific name Tribulus Terrestris and belongs to Zygophyllaceae family.

This herb contains bio-chemicals 3,7,11,15-tetramethyl-2-hexadecen-1-o1, n-Hexadecadienoic acid, Hexadecadienoic acid, ethyl ester, phytol, 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid, 9,12,15-Octadecatrienoic acid, Octadecanoic acid, 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, disooctyl ester, and α-Amyrin. These bio ingredients are reasons for its diuretic, aphrodisiac, anti-diabetic, anti urolithic, and hypolipidemic activities.

Many use this as a supplement for bodybuilding and to boost testosterone levels. Let us view the health benefits of this plant.

Ayurveda Properties and Effect on Doshas

Texts of Ayurveda describe the properties, health benefits, and effects of this herb on doshas as follows.

This herb is sweet to taste and balances vata dosha. It acts as a body coolant, boosts body energy, kindles appetite, and nourishes body tissues. It acts mainly on the urinary system. It cleanses the urinary bladder, increases the volume of urine, and eliminates urinary calculi or kidney stones. It strengthens the heart and respiratory system. It boosts sexual energy in men ( hence used in vajikarana rasayana ).

Gokshura Improves testosterone, sperm count, and sexual function

This herb is lauded by Ayurveda Acharyas as “vrushya”, which means it boosts the sexual energy in men. Even though scientific studies have not proven the fact that gokhru increases testosterone, many ayurvedic practitioners equivocally opine that gokhru when administered in ayurvedic methodology helps to boost sexual energy and reproductive capacities in men. Thus, this herb helps men with erectile dysfunction.

Experimental studies have shown that this herb help in the relaxation of the corpus cavernosum, thereby improving erectile function. It works by stimulating the endothelial cells of the penile blood vessels to increase nitric oxide production and by increasing the intracavernous pressure. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23526694/ 

Oligozoospermia or low sperm count is a leading cause of male infertility. In a clinical study, researchers found that when men between 21 and 50 years of age diagnosed with low sperm count were treated with Tribulus Terrestris there was a significant improvement in the quantity and quality of the sperms within 60 days.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3665088/

Helps to increase stamina and energy

This herb is used along with other stamina and energy-boosting ayurvedic medicines like ashwagandha, kapikacchu (mucuna), Vidarikand (Indian Kudzu), Shatavari, shilajit, etc to improve sexual functions in males. Rejunol capsule with shilajit is an Ayurvedic medicine to boost stamina and energy. This capsule contains the most potent stamina and energy-boosting ayurvedic herbs.

This herb is used along with other stamina and energy-boosting ayurvedic medicines like ashwagandha, kapikacchu (mucuna), safedmusli, vidarikand, shatavari, shilajit, etc to improve sexual functions in males. Rejunol capsule with shilajit is an Ayurvedic medicine to boost stamina and energy. This capsule contains the most potent stamina and energy-boosting ayurvedic herbs.

Gokshura for Body Building

Texts of Ayurveda praise the properties of this herb as “balakrud” and “pushtida” which means it boosts the body’s energy and also nourishes the body tissues. Many studies have shown this is true https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17530942/ . Hence naturopaths recommend this herb for bodybuilding. When this herb is combined with ashwagandha it helps to improve endurance too.

Gokshura Uses for female (women)

This herb is recommended for women who are in the perimenopause stage. (Perimenopause is a stage in the life of women when the body makes the natural transition towards menopause.) It boosts female libido and also increases body strength. It also helps to control irregular menstrual bleeding at this stage. It also helps in weight loss. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4045980/

Gokshura for UTI, Cystitis, and Kidney Stones

This herb is praised as bastishodhaka in Ayurveda. This means it helps to cleanse the bladder and strengthens it by boosting its health. It has sheeta veerya or body coolant properties. Tribulus is also praised as mutrala or the one which increases the volume of urine. All these properties of this herb help to reduce burning sensation in the urinary tract and flush kidney stones by cleansing the bladder and by increasing the volume of urine. It is also useful in cystitis or inflammation of the urinary bladder. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266372314_A_study_of_Tribulus_terrestris_extract_on_risk_factors_for_urinary_stone_in_normal_subjects_and_urolithic_patients

Good for Weight Loss

Ayurveda vaidyas recommend this herb for weight loss for its natural diuretic (mutrala) properties and also for its properties of boosting muscle strength.

Helps in Diabetes

This herb is used in many folk medicines for diabetes. Various studies have shown that Tribulus is helpful in reducing blood sugar levels https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17151317/

Side effects of Gokshura

This herb has to be used with caution in some health conditions. The important ones are mentioned below

• Men with BPH or benign prostatic hypertrophy should not use this herb as scientific studies have shown that, Tribulus increases the size of the prostate.
• This herb should be used with caution and under medical supervision during pregnancy, lactating period, diabetes, and hypertension. One should be highly cautious while using this herb in children.
• Persons who have the problem of hair loss should not use this herb, as it may exaggerate the problem.