Arjuna
Terminalia arjuna
Native to the Indian subcontinent, the arjuna is an
evergreen tree with yellow flowers and conical leaves that
reaches a towering 100 feet (30 meters). The bark is used
medicinally.
USES
Arjuna is among the most frequently prescribed herbs for
cardiovascular health in ayurvedic medicine. The bark of the
arjuna tree contains calcium salts,
magnesium salts,
tannins,
and glucosides. It is a stimulant, tonic, and astringent and
is used to treat hemorrhages, diarrhea,
dysentery,
edema,
skin problems, and
fractures. In addition, it has been found
to have antibacterial and antimutagenic properties.
Benefits of arjuna for specific health conditions include
the following:
- Angina,
congestive heart failure, and
heart attack. The
primary benefit of arjuna is improvement of cardiac muscle
function and improved pumping activity of the heart. It is
thought that the saponin glycosides are the reason for the
beneficial effects of arjuna. The flavonoids and
oligomeric
proanthocyanidins (OPCs) it contains help to strengthen
blood vessels and have antioxidant activity. Arjuna is used
as a heart tonic to treat heart failure and edema, a condition
in which fluid accumulates in the ankles and legs because
the heart is not circulating blood properly. In a three-month
study of angina patients who took arjuna, Indian physicians tracked a number of health indicators, including
blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or "good")
cholesterol, and frequency of angina attacks. Overall, there
was a 50 percent reduction in the frequency of attacks, with
lower systolic blood pressure and slightly increased HDL
cholesterol levels. The more unstable the angina, however,
the less arjuna helped the condition in the first three
months of treatment. However, a double-blind study over
a period of twenty-four months led to reduced symptoms,
increased mobility, and patient reports of increased quality
of life. Using arjuna regularly for one year can strengthen
the heart to its best condition.
- Gonorrhea. Research at Arizona State University has
confirmed that one of the bioavailable chemical constituents of
arjuna, luteolin, acts against Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the
bacterium that causes gonorrhea. This effect may also help
explain arjuna's usefulness in treating heart disease, since a
related microorganism, chlamydia, may be involved in the
process of atherosclerosis.
CONSIDERATIONS
Arjuna is commonly available in capsule form. Ayurvedic
formulas containing arjuna usually combine this herb with
as many as thirty other cardio-protective herbs. Since arjuna
has a powerful effect on heart muscle, it should be taken
for angina or congestive heart failure only after consulting
a physician.
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