Botanical Name : Terminalia arjuna
Sanskrit Name : Arjuna            
English Name : White Marudah, Arjuna Myrobalan, Arjun, Arjuna        
Family : Combretaceae
Part Used: Bark                    

        
Description of Terminalia arjuna:
Tree up to 25 meter hight; bark grey, smooth; leaves sub-opposite, 5–14 × 2–4.5 cm., oblong or elliptic oblong, glabrous, often inequilateral, margin often crenulate, apex obtuse or sub-acute, base rounded or sometimes cordate; petioles 0.5–1.2cm; glands usually two. Flowers small, white. Fruit 2.3–3.5 cm long, fibrous woody, glabrous with 5 hard wings, striated with numerous curved veins. Flowering time April–July in Indian conditions. Seeds hard germination 50–76 days (50–60%).

Traditional uses:
Every part of the tree has useful medicinal properties. Arjun holds a reputed position in both Ayurvedic and Yunani Systems of medicine. According to Ayurveda it is alexiteric, styptic, tonic, anthelmintic, and useful in fractures, uclers, heart diseases, biliousness, urinary discharges, asthma, tumours, leucoderma, anaemia, excessive prespiration etc. According to Yunani system of medicine, it is used both externally and internally in gleet and urinary discharges.

Phytochemistry:

• ELEMENTS : Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc and Copper
• FLAVONOIDS : Arjunone, Arjunolone, Luteolin are the natural antioxidants
• Gallic Acid
• Ellagic Acid, Oleanolinic Acid
• OPCs or Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins
• Phytosterols (beta-sitosterol)
• TRITERPENOID SAPONINS : Arjunolic Acid, Arjunic Acid, Arjungenin, Arjunglycosides
• TRITERPENOID GLYCOSIDES OR Arjuna Glycosides - Arjunine, Arjunetein, Arjunetosides
• Co enzyme Q10
• Friedlin, Cerasidin
• Tannin

It is thought the saponin glycosides might be responsible for inotropic effects of Terminalia, while the flavonoids and OPCs provide free radical antioxidant activity and vascular strengthening.

Pharmacology:
The bark is acrid, and credited with styptic, tonic, febrifugal and antidysenteric properties. In fractures and contusions, with excessive ecchymosis, the powdered bark is taken with milk. The powdered bark seemed to give relief in symptomatic complaint in hypertension; it appearently had a diuretic and a general tonic effect in cases of cirrhosis of the liver. A decoction of the bark is used as a wash in ulcers.The alcoholic extract of bark contained: CaO, 0.33; MgO, 0.078; and Al₂O₃, .076%.The fruit is tonic and deobstruent. The juice of the fresh leaves is used in earache.These extracts also inhibited carotid occlusion response. hypotension and bradycardia were also observed and were mainly of central origin. Arjuna bark is popularly used as a cardiac tonic. The diuretic property has also been observed,Which is because of a saponin 'The bark is useful in diseases of the heart, allays thirst and relieves fatigue.

Marker constituent:
Arjunic acid 1%

Main Actions:

• Hypolipidemic: enhances the elimination of cholesterol by accelerating the turnover of LDL-cholesterol in the liver. Lowers beta-lipoprotein lipids and the recovery of HDL components in hyperlipidemia
• Cardiac stimulant: Strengthens the heart muscles and maintains the heart functioning properly.
• Hypotensive: Due to its hypolipidemic activity and also the diuretic property it acts against hypertension.
• Astringent & Haemostatic.
• Has prostaglandin enhancing and coronary risk modulating properties.

Main Uses: Cardiomyopathy like Myocardial infraction, angina, coronary artery disease, heart failure, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension. In case of heart attack though it can not act against, like streptokinase or eurokinase, but regular use of it after just recovering from heart attack, reduces the chance of further attack to a great level. Besides no such Toxicity or side effects has so far be found it can be advocated to use in regular basis for a strong and well functioning heart.

Arjuna can help lower Cholesterol as much as 64% - people taking Arjuna preparation saw their LDL levels plummet by an average of 25.6%. In animal studies with extremely high blood fats, LDL levels dropped from 493 to 162 ,after 60 days. That's a whopping 64 percent drop. Plus, HDL cholesterol (the good stuff) actually increased.

Arjuna reduces angina episodes much better than nitroglycerin - In one study, angina episodes were cut in half by the Arjuna, with none of the nasty side effects. Plus, it can be used as long as you like, without fear it'll stop working.

Arjuna has been shown to help reverse hardening of the arteries.

Disclaimer:
The authenticity of the above information are not verified and established by us. You are requested to get it verified. The above given information are collected from various sources may be used for academic purpose.