Plant name: Tribulus terrestris - Puncture Vine

Botanical Description: A ground hugging vine with many reddish branches spreading radially from a central point. Small opposite leafs appear on all parts of the stems, branching into three to seven leaflets per leaf. These green oblong leaflets are 3 – 7 cm long and their numbers usually form a sparsely covered “matt” along the ground. The fruits make this plant easy to identify (hopefully before you step on one.) When mature, they are a light brown “nut” around a centimeter in diameter, flattened but still round with evil looking, tire eating and child yelping spines, two of which are 2 – 3 cm and are accompanied by several smaller spikes. When the seeds are not yet ripe, the fruit looks much the same, but is light green and look to be covered with a soft down (looks can be deceiving.)

Taxonomy: Zygophyllaceae family

Ethnobotany: Commonly used in folk medicine as diuretic and against colic pains, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia in Turkey. Known as "bhakra" in Isslamabad and regarded as a tonic and aphrodisiac.

Plant Herstory: Puncture vine came to the North American continent by hitching a ride on cattle imported from the Mediterranean. It has colonized much of the land, finding it's true niche in the Southwest. Lucky us. It reportedly arrived in California in the early 1900's mixed with soil slated for railroad construction. Government agencies have been actively waging biological warfare against the puncturevine since the 1960's. Two imported species of weevil, Microlarinus lareynii and M. lypriformis, lay their eggs on the immature fruit. The impending larvae feed on the green fruit before they harden and get a chance to wreak havoc. This is a relatively fast-breeding species that may produce two or three generations in single season. For a fascinating (no, I'm being serious) of how this whole process started and ended, see the website for UC - Riverside listed in the References section.

Cultivation: You obviously have never encountered this species.

Wildcrafting Information: Everywhere bare feet are sure to trod. Sidewalk cracks seem to be the favored incubator of this jewel. If you live in the Southwest, you know where to find it.

Collecting: Collect the immature seed heads in early spring. If you wait too long, you'll be stuck (no pun intended) with a woody caltrop that resists even the toughest of coffee grinders. The pods should be formed, but the spikes still somewhat flexible. If it hurts when you pick them, you waited too long. Dry them in a jar with the lid off to allow the moisture to evaporate. Once the seed pods have been separated, dry the arial parts of the plant in bundles.

Preparation Methods: Grind the dried seed heads anyway you like. I like an electric coffee grinder. Continue grinding until you've reached a fine powder. Add ground seeds and whole dried plant to hot water to 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of seed/plant mix for an infusion. You can also tincture, 1:5 @ 60%.

Pharmacology: Saponins - glucopyranosyl galactopyrans, ruscogenin, hecogenin, diosgenin; Polysaccharides; Sterols - sitosterol, campesterol; Flavonoids - kaempferol, kaempferol glycosides, quercetin; Fatty acids - palmitic, stearic, oleic, lineleic acids; Tannins; Potassium salts

Actions & Indications: Lipid lowering in arteriosclerosis. Essential hypertension. Adrenal cortex hyperfunctions from stress, with elevated lipids, uric acid, blood sugars with stomach hypersecretions. Dysuria with partial impotence. Gout, for the hyperuricemia. Impotence/frigidity, with dysuria. Thick, frontal headaches after meals. Blood serum levels: cholesterol elevations. Blood serum levels: hyperlipidemia, in general. Blood serum levels: LDL, VLDL elevated.

Note: There is a substantial amount of research going on in Indonesia regarding the effectiveness of this plant in male libido, impotence, infertility, and sperm motility. Oddly, most Asian studies seem to center on cardiovascular and hepatoprotective qualities of this plant.

Side-effects: None cited.

Contraindications: VASOPRESSOMIMETlC (seems to be a unique Michael Moore term, as no others references are available.)

Administration and Duration of Use: The infusion to two times a day, 30-40 drops of the tincture b.i.d.

Regulatory Status: Unknown at the time of writing.

Resources:

1. Muhammad lbrar Shinwari and Mir Ajab Khan Department of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad
   
2. HerbMed
   
3. Agrobiologicals Website
   
4. University of California - Riverside
   
5. National Herbalists Association of Australia
   
6. Michael Moore's Southwestern School of Botanical Medicine