Gokshura, Puncture Vine (Tribulus terrestris) - Uses, Benefits, Ayurvedic Properties & Effects on Dosha

Gokshura Plant

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

General Description

It is one of the most popular herb in the world due to male sex power enhancement property. Gokshura 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. Gokshura fruits is similar to oxalate stones of kidneys and bladder and it is very effective in the treatment of the same problem.

Gokshura Classification

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

Gokshura Habitat

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

Gokshura Names

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

Gokshura Ayurvedic Properties

Gokshura Effects on Doshas

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

Ancient verse about Gokshura (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.

Gokshura Uses and Benefits

 
• Aphrodisiac activity - It increases the libido in 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 testosterone in 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.

Ayurvedic Product from Gokshura Tribulus terrestris of Planet Ayurveda

1. Tribulus Power Capsules

These are the pure herbal capsules obtained from the extract of herb Tribulus terrestris. It is one of the best herbal supplement of Planet Ayurveda which enhances energy and boosts your vitality that makes you feel strong and healthy.

Dosage - 2 capsules twice daily with plain water after meals.

2. Atirasadi Churna

It is another herbal formulation of Planet Ayurveda which is very effective to improve stamina and increases male fertility naturally.

Dosage - One teaspoonful of this powder should be consumed two times along with milk or plain water.