Neychev Vladimir, Mitev Vanyo
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Medical University, Sofia, Bulgaria; Department of Surgery, University Multiprofile Hospital for Active Treatment "Alexandrovska", Medical University, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Medical University, Sofia, Bulgaria.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2016 Feb 17;179:345-55. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2015.12.055. Epub 2015 Dec 28.
ETHNO-PHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Historically, aphrodisiacs have had a reputation for making sex more achievable and satisfying. It has been long believed that Tribulus terrestris L. (TT), an annual plant of the family Zygophyllaceae, possesses aphrodisiac properties purportedly attributed to its ability to influence levels or mimic function of sex hormones. Due to this appealing beliefs, the popularity of medicinal products from TT is expanding at a remarkable pace among consumers who are attempting to enhance their sexual health. However, reliable scientific evidence supporting these purported bioactivities are scant and far from conclusive.
To critically analyze and updated the evidence supporting a role for TT as an aphrodisiac and to reappraise the widely believed view of TT as an androgen enhancing botanical supplement.
An extensive review of the literature was carried out based on systematic search of major scientific databases (PubMed, Elsevier, Springer Link, Google Scholar, Medline Plus, and Web of Science) for studies of phytochemical, pharmacological and traditional uses of TT published between 1968 and 2015. In addition, the reference lists of the available articles were reviewed and relevant studies including material in journals which are not indexed internationally were reviewed.
Analysis of phytochemical and pharmacological studies in humans and animals revealed an important role for TT in treating erectile dysfunction and sexual desire problems; however, empirical evidence to support the hypothesis that this desirable effects are due to androgen enhancing properties of TT is, at best, inconclusive, and analysis of empirical evidence from a comprehensive review of available literature proved this hypothesis wrong. While the mechanisms underlying TT aphrodisiac activity remain largely unknown, there is emerging compelling evidence from experimental studies in animals for possible endothelium and nitric oxide-dependent mechanisms underlying TT aphrodisiac and pro-erectile activities.
It is becoming increasingly clear that the deep-seated traditional view of TT bioactivity focused exclusively on its androgen enhancing properties is outdated and incapable for accommodating the emerging evidence from recent clinical and experimental studies pointing toward new and, perhaps, more plausible modes of action. Novel paradigms guiding the development of new testable hypotheses for TT aphrodisiac properties are needed to stimulate further investigations into potential biological mechanisms in which many apparently conflicting observations can be reconciled.
从历史上看，壮阳药一直以能让性行为更容易实现且更令人满足而闻名。长期以来，人们一直认为刺蒺藜（TT），一种蒺藜科的一年生植物，具有壮阳特性，据称这归因于其影响性激素水平或模拟性激素功能的能力。由于这些诱人的观念，来自刺蒺藜的药用产品在试图改善性健康的消费者中越来越受欢迎。然而，支持这些所谓生物活性的可靠科学证据很少且远非定论。
批判性地分析和更新支持刺蒺藜作为壮阳药作用的证据，并重新评估被广泛认为的刺蒺藜作为雄激素增强植物补充剂的观点。
基于对主要科学数据库（PubMed、Elsevier、Springer Link、Google Scholar、Medline Plus和Web of Science）的系统搜索，对1968年至2015年间发表的关于刺蒺藜的植物化学、药理学和传统用途的研究进行了广泛的文献综述。此外，还查阅了现有文章的参考文献列表，并对相关研究进行了综述，包括未被国际索引的期刊中的材料。
对人和动物的植物化学和药理学研究分析表明，刺蒺藜在治疗勃起功能障碍和性欲问题方面具有重要作用；然而，支持这种理想效果是由于刺蒺藜的雄激素增强特性这一假设的实证证据充其量是不确定的，并且对现有文献综合综述的实证证据分析证明了这一假设是错误的。虽然刺蒺藜壮阳活性的潜在机制在很大程度上仍然未知，但动物实验研究中出现了令人信服的证据，表明可能存在内皮和一氧化氮依赖性机制，是刺蒺藜壮阳和促进勃起活性的基础。
越来越明显的是，关于刺蒺藜生物活性的根深蒂固的传统观点，即仅关注其雄激素增强特性，已经过时，无法适应最近临床和实验研究中出现的新证据，这些证据指向新的、也许更合理的作用模式。需要新的范式来指导关于刺蒺藜壮阳特性的新的可测试假设发展，以刺激对潜在生物学机制的进一步研究，在这些机制中许多明显相互矛盾的观察结果可以得到调和。
