Gokshuri.

Ikshugandhά.

Vern. Gokhuru, Beng. Hind.

This plant is also called Sthala sringάtaka and Tinkantaka, from the resemblance of its fruits to those of Trapa bispinosa and from their being armed with three spines. The entire plant but more particularly the fruits are used in medicine. They are regarded as cooling, diuretic, tonic and aphrodisiac and are used in painful micturition, calculous affections, urinary disorders and impotence. The fruits constitute an ingredient of Dasamula (see Desmodiitm gangeticum).

A decoction of the fruits is given with the addition of yava-kshάra (impure carbonate of potash), in painful micturition.1 A decoction of the entire plant is given with silάjatu (a bituminous substance) and honey, in the same affection. Equal parts of gokhuru and sesamum seeds, taken with goat's milk and honey, is said to cure impotence arising from bad practices.2

Gokshurάdya valeha3 or electuary of gokshuri is prepared as follows. Take of the entire plant of Tribulus terrestris, twelve seers and a half, water, sixty-four seers and boil till reduced to one-fourth. To the strained decoction, add six seers and a quarter of sugar and again boil till reduced to the proper consistence for an electuary; then add the following substances in fine powder, namely, ginger, long pepper, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamoms, flowers of Mesua ferrea (nάgakesara), leaves called tejapatra, nutmeg, bark of Terminalia Arjuna, and cucumber seeds, each sixteen tolas, bamboo-manna half a seer, and prepare an electuary. It is given in doses of two tolas, in painful micturition, suppression of urine, bloody urine, calculous affections etc.