Knowledge Base/Herbs/Puncture Vine Fruit (Tribulus)
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平肝息风药（有小毒） · Liver-wind calming; listed as slightly toxic

Puncture Vine Fruit (Tribulus) bái jí lí · 白蒺藜

Tribulus terrestris L. (fruit)

Nature and flavour. Pungent, bitter, slightly warm; listed as slightly toxic in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia; Liver system.

The fruit is classed as calming the Liver and anchoring yang, as decongesting and course-opening the Liver (疏肝), as dispelling wind and brightening the eyes, and as stopping itch. It appears in the classical literature for headache and dizziness of the rising-Liver-yang type, for constrained Liver qi with chest and flank fullness, for red painful eyes with tearing, and for wind-related skin itch. It is worth noting how it differs from the rest of this batch: it is a plant fruit with a moving, dispersing character, not a heavy mineral or shell that anchors by weight.

性味归经。辛、苦，微温；药典载有小毒；归肝经。

果实入药，归类为平肝潜阳、疏肝解郁、祛风明目、止痒。传统文献用于肝阳上亢之头痛眩晕、肝气郁结之胸胁不舒、目赤多泪以及风邪所致皮肤瘙痒。它与本批其余各味的区别值得点明：它是植物果实，具行散之性，不是靠质重沉降的矿物或贝壳。

Classical category · no formulas, no dosages, no herb-drug combinations are given.
Safety. The Pharmacopoeia lists it as slightly toxic, and the classical sources advise against it in pregnancy and where qi and blood are vacuous. Two modern points are worth stating plainly. First, Tribulus terrestris is sold worldwide as a sports and testosterone supplement, and the marketing around it goes well beyond what the clinical evidence supports; reports of kidney and liver injury exist in people taking such products, though a causal link has not been established. Second, animal and laboratory data suggest effects on blood pressure, blood glucose and bleeding — which is a reason for caution alongside antihypertensive, antidiabetic and anticoagulant medication, not a reason for confidence. Not a self-care item.

药典载其有小毒，传统文献提示孕妇及气血虚弱者不宜。两点现代情况须直说。其一，蒺藜被大量作为运动补剂与「促睾」产品在全球销售，其宣传远远超出临床证据所支持的范围；服用此类产品者中曾见肾损伤与肝损伤的报告，但因果关系并未确立。其二，动物与实验室研究提示其可能影响血压、血糖与凝血 —— 这构成与降压药、降糖药、抗凝药同用时的谨慎理由，而不是可以放心的理由。不属于可自行使用的药材。

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