Efficacy of tribulus terrestris for the treatment of premenopausal women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder: a randomized double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial

Abstract

Although hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) is the most common sexual complaint, there is no consensus for the ideal treatment. Our study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of treating premenopausal women with HSDD with Tribulus terrestris and its effect on the serum levels of testosterone. We performed a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, with 40 premenopausal women reporting diminished libido, receiving T. terrestris or placebo. The questionnaires FSFI and the QS-F were used to evaluate sexual dysfunction before and after treatment. Patients treated with T. terrestris experienced improvement in total score of FSFI (p < .001) and domains “desire” (p < .001), “sexual arousal” (p = .005), “lubrication” (p = .001), “orgasm” (p <.001), “pain” (p = .030) and “satisfaction” (p = .001). Treatment with placebo did not improve the scores for the “lubrication” and “pain”. QS-F scores showed that patients using T. terrestris had improvements in “desire” (p = .012), “sexual arousal/lubrication” (p = .002), “pain” (p = .031), “orgasm” (p = .004) and “satisfaction” (p = .001). Women treated with placebo did not score improvements. Women receiving T. terrestris had increased levels of free (p = .046) and bioavailable (p < .048) testosterone. T. terrestris might be a safe alternative for the treatment of premenopausal women with HSDD as it was effective in reducing the symptoms, probably due to an increase in the serum levels of free and bioavailable testosterone.