Arjuna
- anemia. heart |
- bleeding |
- blood disorders |
- cardiac stimulant |
- cardiac tonic |
- swelling |
- Combretaceae |
- Terminalia arjuna |
- Arjuna |
- Medavaha |
- Raktavaha |
- Rasavaha |
- Sukravaha
Terminalia arjuna (Combretaceae)
Sanskrit Names: Arjuna
English Name: Arjun Tree
Hindu Name: Arjun
Botanical Name: Terminalia arjuna
Synonyms: Indradru, Kkubha, Dhavala, Viravrksa, Nadisarja, Partha
Family: Combretaceae
Description
Terminalia arjuna is a medicinal plant of the genus Terminalia, widely used by Ayurvedic physicians for its curative properties in organic/functional heart problems including angina, hypertension and deposits in arteries. According to Ayurvedic texts it also very useful in the treatment of any sort of pain due a fall, ecchymosis, spermatorrhoea and sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhoea. Arjuna bark (Terminallia arjuna) is thought to be beneficial for the heart. This has also been proved in a research by Dr. K. N. Udupa in Banaras Hindu University's Institute of Medical Sciences , Varanasi (India). In this research, they found that powdered extract of the above drug provided very good results to the people suffering from Coronary heart diseases.[citation needed]
Research suggests that Terminalia is useful in alleviating the pain of angina pectoris and in treating heart failure and coronary artery disease. Terminalia may also be useful in treating hypercholesterolemia. The cardioprotective effects of terminalia are thought to be caused by the antioxidant nature of several of the constituent flavonoids and oligomeric proanthocyanidins, while positive inotropic effects may be caused by the saponin glycosides. In addition to its cardiac effects.
Terminalia may also be protective against gastric ulcers, such as those caused by NSAIDs 1
The leaves of this tree are also fed on by the Antheraea paphia moth which produces the tassar silk (Tussah), a form of wild silk of commercial importance.2
Principle Constituents
Classical Categories (Gana)
This herb belongs to the following classical groups:
Energetics
Chemical Constituents
Tanins; Triterpenoid saponins: Arjungenin, arjunglycocides; Flavonoids: Arjunone, arjunolone; Phytosterols.
Ayurveda Actions
Important Actions
Cardiac tonic, cardiac stimulant, blood disorders, swelling, bleeding, anemia.
Indications
External use
It helps in wound healing and joining due to astringent property. It is haemostatic. The bark
paste can be applied to wounds, ulcers and specially used in promoting the union of fractures.
Internal use
Circulatory system: Cardiac tonic, giving strength to cardiac muscles, improving cardiac function and rhythm. Reduces cardiac rate. Increases peripheral resistance by constricting capillaries which lead to rise in blood pressure. Enhances blood quality. Prevents accumulation of fluids, thereby reduces oedema.
Digestive system: Astringent property reduces motility and because it is a haemostatic it controls bleeding in dysentery and haemorrhoids.
Respiratory system: Astringent properties useful in purulent and tuberculous cough and in haemoptysis. Reduces heartburn and cough.
Reproductive system: Prevents early ejaculation of seamen. Useful in menorrhoea and leucorrhoea.
Urinary system: Useful in diabetes because of astringent properties. In gonorrhoea, by reducing urinary discharge and relieving burning and pain during mictuation.
Skin: Useful in skin diseases with pruitus.
Temperature: It is febrifuge. In chronic fever it not only helps as antipyretic but also acts as a general tonic.
Precautions
Due to it's vatakara quality it could cause constipation, so needs to be taken with herbs that will prevent this. Pregnancy
Safety
No known drug/herb interactions.
Parts Used
Parts used: Bark
Dosage:Bark - Powder 1-3 gms,; 10-30 grains. Juice 10-15 gms. Decoction 50 – 100 ml.
Important Combinations
Preparations: Kakubhadhi, Churna, Arjunasrista, Parthadyarista, Arjunatvak, Arjunaghrta
Research
1 Efficacy of Terminalia arjuna in chronic stable angina: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover
study comparing Terminalia arjuna with isosorbide mononitrate.3 Fifty-eight males with chronic stable
angina (NYHA class II-III) with evidence of provocable ischemia on treadmill exercise test received
erminalia arjuna (500 mg 8 hourly), isosorbide mononitrate (40 mg/daily) or a matching placebo for one
week each, separated by a wash-out period of at least three days in a randomized, double-blind, crossover
design. They then underwent clinical treadmill tests showing significant decrease in the frequency of angina.
CONCLUSIONS: Terminalia arjuna bark extract, 500 mg 8 hourly, given to patients with stable angina
with provocable ischemia on treadmill exercise, led to improvement in clinical and treadmill exercise
parameters as compared to placebo therapy.
The test was only done on men. It was also only a short term test. It would have been more interesting to
see a longer term test over 3 months to 1 year and then to see results. There were no other tests perfomed in
this case so no clear evidence on what was happening internally.
2 ARJUNA by Ray Sahelian, M.D4 (natural health database). Several studies here.
- Casuarinin from the Bark of Terminalia arjuna Induces Apoptosis and Cell Cycle Arrest in Human Breast
Adenocarcinoma MCF-7 Cells. - Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.) protects rabbit heart against ischemic-reperfusion injury: role of antioxidant
enzymes and heat shock protein. - Terminalia arjuna reverses impaired endothelial function in chronic smokers.
- Cardioprotective effect of the alcoholic extract of Terminalia arjuna bark in an in vivo model of myocardial
ischemic reperfusion injury. - Possible mechanisms of hypotension produced 70% alcoholic extract of Terminalia arjuna in anaesthetized
dogs. - Antioxidant and hypocholesterolaemic effects of Terminalia arjuna tree-bark powder: a randomised placebo-
controlled trial.
These results come from a website selling Arjuna so they are likely to pick results that promote their products.
Most of the studies were done with extracts of aspects of Arjuna or were compared with other drugs or
Vitamins. None of the tests were long term however there does appear to be postive results in using arjuna for
its hypocholesterolaemic effect.
3 Dravyaguna Vijnana by Dr J.L.N. Sastry3 gives references to 12 studies done on the effects of Arjuna mainly
on dogs or other animals. The result shows Arjuna has good results in effecting “T wave changes”, as a cardiotonic,
a significant result in regenerating cardiac tissue and development of new coronary vessels. It is also shown to
decrease elevated cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol in rats. Shows antidiabetic activity, diuretic and
hypotensive and anti-acne properties. No side effects or adverse effects on the plasma, liver, heart or
adipose tissue in hyperlipaemic rats.
The results look positive in these cases and and verify the Ayurvedic actions of Arjuna. While some of the
tests were done on humans it would be worth while doing some longer term tests
- 1. .Devi RS, Narayan S, Vani G, Shyamala Devi CS (2007). "Gastroprotective effect of Terminalia arjuna bark on diclofenac sodium induced gastric ulcer.". Chem Biol Interact 167 (1): 71–83. doi:10.1016/j.cbi.2007.01.011. PMID 17327128</a
- 2. Miller AL (1998). "Botanical influences on cardiovascular disease". Altern Med Rev 3 (6): 422–31. PMID 9855567.
- 3. http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FDN/is_4_7/ai_91155410#continue
- 4. Ray Sahelian, M.D
