Terminalia Arjuna

Description

Arjuna is a potential cardioprotective agent belonging to the Combretaceae family. It is an ayurvedic remedy that has been mentioned since vedic period in many ancient Indian medicinal texts including Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, and Astang Hridayam. It was Vagabhatta who, for the first time, advocated the use of stem bark powder in heart ailments Arjuna also known as the “Arjun tree” is a widely grown tree in India. It has various medicinal properties like antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial.Arjuna helps reduce the risk of heart diseases. It strengthens and tones the heart muscles and helps in proper functioning of the heart. Arjuna tree also has strong anti-hypertensive property and helps reduce high blood pressure. For maximum benefits in case of heart problems, Arjuna chaal boiled in milk should be taken 1-2 times a day.Arjuna also helps control diarrhea, asthma and cough.External application of Arjuna bark (Arjuna chaal) helps manage various skin disorders like eczema, psoriasis,itching and rashes[2-5].
One note of caution is to avoid Arjuna with anticoagulant drugs as it has blood thinning property].

Medical uses

The bark has been described as an astringent, demulcent, expectorant, cardiotonic, styptic, antidysenteric, urinary astringent, and has shown to be useful in fracture, ulcers, leukorrhea, diabetes, anemia, cardiopathy, and cirrhosis.[2] Chakradatta, the great ancient physician, recommended it to be given as a decoction of bark with milk or as a ghrita (a preparation with ghee or butter).Decoction of the bark has been used as ulcer wash, while bark ashes have been prescribed for snakebite and scorpion sting.[4] Traditional healers from Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu boil the bark powder with water, and inhale it to cure headache and to kill worms in teeth. They also use fruit paste topically on wounds.[5] Fresh leaf juice is used for the treatment of earache and bark powder for treating heart ailments by Malabar tribe, Kerala.[6] Tribals living in Sundargarh District, Orissa use dried bark powder along with rice washed water to treat blood in urine, and tribes living in Malkangiri district chew the fresh bark and swallow the juice as an antacid