Medicinal & Aromatic Plants
Open Access

Tribulus terrestris an anti-hyperglycemic agent or an anabolic enhancer?

Joint Event on 4^th World Congress on Medicinal Plants & Natural Products Research and 12^th Global Ethnomedicine & Ethnopharmacology Conference

August 08-09, 2018 Osaka, Japan

Ruxandra Stefanescu (Braic), Sigrid Esianu, Ancuta Negroiu, Iuliana Blas and Camil Vari

University of Medicine and Pharmacy Targu Mures, Romania

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Medicinal & Aromatic Plants

Abstract :

Tribulus terrestris (TT) is a very controversial plant, used for many purposes, mainly for its presumed anabolic effects, but with inconclusive scientific results. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of TT in diabetic male rats. Diabetes was induced by a single intra peritoneal injection with 60 mg/kg streptozotocin. Rats received Tribulus terrestris extract for twelve weeks. Glucose level, body weight, cataract development and sexual behavior were monitored during the experiment. In the fourth week of the experiment oral glucose tolerance test was performed. Sexual behavior with receptive females was monitored (mount and intromission frequencies). At the end of the experiment sperm parameters like morphology and motility were evaluated. TT treated group had a significant increase in body weight and a significant decrease in blood glucose. Differences were observed in sexual behavior in TT treated group compared with the diabetic control group. Evaluation of sperm parameters revealed a number of differences in treated group but with no statistical significance. In conclusion, our study suggests the possibility of including Tribulus terrestris in supplements for diabetic male patients, but further studies are necessary for elucidating the presumed mechanisms of actions.

Biography :

Ruxandra Stefanescu (Braic) is pursuing PhD from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Targu Mures. Currently, she is working as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacognosy and Phyto-therapy at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Targu Mures, Romania. Her research is focused on the phytochemical and pharmacological analysis of natural products with possible beneficial effects in diabetes and diabetic complications.

E-mail: ruxandra.stefanescu@umftgm.ro