Neruñji

Scientific Name: Tribulus terrestris

Common English Names: Caltrop, Puncturevine, Goathead, and Devil’s Thorn

The official emblem of It’s Private is the neruñji (tribulus terrestris) - a hardy, invasive weed native to the drier regions of South Asia, Middle East, and North Africa. This plant is infamous because its bright, yellow flowers bear fruits with 2-4 sharp spines that can puncture bare feet, hooves, shoes, and rubber bicycle tires. Quite hazardous to both humans and animals, neruñji is also notoriously difficult to eradicate due to its large underground taproot system, extremely viable seeds, and ability to thrive under harsh conditions.

Neruñji was known by many other names throughout the ancient world, and numerous texts from these regions highlight its medicinal but potentially dangerous properties. For example, the neruñji fruit inspired the caltrop, a small defense weapon originating in ancient India, Persia, China, and Rome to slow the advance of troops, chariots, horses, camels, and elephants. Its fruits, leaves, and roots are also widely used in traditional Ayurvedic, Himalayan, and East Asian medicine to treat kidney stones, gall stones, urinary tract infections, and other urinary system ailments. More recently, neruñji extract is used in supplements claiming to boost libido and treat infertility issues in men and women. However, more research is needed to evaluate this plant’s safety and efficacy as a diuretic and aphrodisiac.

Sources & Further Reading

Chhatre, S., Nesari, T., Somani, G., Kanchan, D., & Sathaye, S. (2014). Phytopharmacological overview of Tribulus terrestris. Pharmacognosy reviews, 8(15), 45–51. https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-7847.125530

Reid, R. W. (2006, September 1). Weaponry: The Caltrop. Historynet. https://www.historynet.com/weaponry-the-caltrop/

Saeed, M., Munawar, M., Bi, J. B., Ahmed, S., Ahmad, M. Z., Kamboh, A. A., Arain, M. A., Naveed, M., & Chen, H. (2024). Promising phytopharmacology, nutritional potential, health benefits, and traditional usage of Tribulus terrestris L. herb. Heliyon, 10(4), e25549. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25549

Tribulus terrestris L. | Species. (2016). India Biodiversity Portal. https://indiabiodiversity.org/species/show/33318

Tribulus terrestris. (2023). Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/tribulus-terrestris