Almost every Pharmaceutical Has Its Base In A Plant
Even the lowly, and detested, weed called puncture vine, toritos in Spanish and Ci Ji Li in Traditional Chinese Medicine, has health benefits.
The ancient Chinese herbal book The Divine Farmer’s Materia Medica makes references to the health benefits of Ci Ji Li, known in the western world as puncture vine, goat head or bull thorn. In Spanish the weed is known as toritos, as in little bulls, (toro-bull ito–little). The Latin family and species designation is Tribulus terristris.
Herbalists have claimed for centuries that the seed, and to a lesser degree the foliage, is beneficial for lowering blood fats, including cholesterol. Some extensive scientific studies have shown that to be true. Puncture vine has also been shown to lessen the severity of atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis, clogging and hardening of the arteries.
The constituents in the plant act as a mild diuretic, contribute to a slight lowering of blood sodium and aid in lowering intestinal and abdominal fluid retention levels. Studies on high blood pressure have shown puncture vine to be beneficial in cases of mild essential hypertension. It works by slowing the adrenergic (nerve fiber) stimulation, increasing myocardial (heart muscle) contraction force and functioning as a catecholamine liberator (eliminating excessive hormones from the blood stream). By doing that, the heart rate is slowed, the strength of the heart contraction is increased, the relaxation period between beats is lengthened and the diastolic blood pressure is reduced.
It was discovered at the 1988 Olympics that the gold medal Bulgarian weight lifters had used puncture vine as a natural endocrine system stimulant to help increase muscle mass through boosting testosterone levels. Tribulus terrestris stimulates the endocrine system in both men and women.
Finding the plant can be relatively easy if you walk barefoot or ride a bicycle. If neither is an option, look in vacant lots or almost anywhere in the southwest. Roadsides are a good place for finding the plant but the pollution from the pavement runoff and vehicle traffic make it not a good choice. When I was young and living in Southern California, I became very well acquainted with bull thorns as soon as I got my first bike. The plant survives, and thrives, in cold and wet areas as well as in dry hot regions. When the dams on the Snake River were built, a few seeds came in with the equipment or materials. Now, puncture vine grows on the roadsides and in the dry, gravely, vacant areas.
Collecting the herb can be a sticky situation. The seed, thorny part, is best when harvested green. The active ingredients lose their potency when the seed turns brown and becomes hard. I’ve found, if I hold the very end of one of the vines radiating out from the stem, and gently slide the vine between my thumb and forefinger, I can strip the seed from the plant without too much effort, or pain.
After harvesting, the plant and/or seeds need to be dried and then powdered. It is possible to use the seeds fresh and in their green state, by grinding them up in a coffee or seed grinder. If the ground up seeds are added to cereals, soups or stews, be sure there are no thorny parts left after grinding. Most herbalists recommend one half to one teaspoon of the powder, taken with a full glass of water, morning and night. Twelve fresh, large seeds are equal to approximately the recommended dosage.
Some remedies can have adverse effects and puncture vine is one. Puncture vine can cause or aggravate kidney, liver and heart problems, especially if taken in large doses. In the case of puncture vine: if small doses don’t work, more won’t be better and you need to find a different treatment. Prevention through diet and exercise are always superior to trying to find a remedy or quick fix after the fact.
Ref: Folk Remedies, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) And Health Options From Around The World. Larry R. Miller
Ref: Medicinal Plants Of The Desert And Canyon West. Michael Moore
Ref: Charles Martin NMSU
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