Arjuna

Arjuna is the medicinal plant from the terminalia genus. It is more commonly used in the ayurvedic medicines for the treatment of heart problems. The bark of arjuna has been described as a cardiac tonic. The bark contains large quantities of calcium, small amounts of aluminum, magnesium and tannins an astringent used in preparing leather and manufacturing ink.

Latin name : Terminalia arjuna

Properties :

• Rasa : kasaya
• Guna : laghu, ruksha
• virya : sita
• Vipaka : katu
• Karma : hridya, kaphhara, pithara, vrananasana

Preperations : Kshirpaka, juice, decoction, powder

Benefits of arjuna :

• Arjuna is the best herb for cardiomyopathy like myocardial infarction, angina, coronary artery disease, heart failure, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia.
• The bark of arjuna tree is a cardiac stimulant and has tonic effect. As a heart stimulant, either a decoction of the thick portion of the bark made with milk should be taken every morning on an empty stomach or its powder.
• The powder of the arjuna bark is an effective sex stimulant, taken with milk regularly over a period of time.
• It is useful in renal calculi, or stones. and in promoting flow of bile, and in the healing of wounds.
• Diarrhoea or Dysentry : A decoction of the bark taken.
• It is also effective in arresting secretion or bleeding.
• It is helps to relieve fever.
• The bark of arjuna is very useful in Asthma. Powder of the bark is made and stored in a well corked bottle. The patient suffering from asthma should keep fast on the day of the full moon. A dish of condensed milk and rice should be prepared and placed where the moonlight falls upon it the whole night 12 gm of the powder should be sprinkled over the kheer and take by the patient.
• It is effective in curing various types of pain, ulcer, cirrhosis of liver
• The juice of fresh leaves of arjuna can be used beneficially in earache.
• It has best result in skin diseases. An ointment made by mixing the bark and honey applied over the affected area.
• The decoction of the herb is used as an astringent for cleaning sores, ulcers, syphilitic sores.
• It helps the bones to regain their strength after a fracture, powder of the bark with honey.

Herbal formulation :

• Kakubhadi powder
• Arjunarishta
• Devdarvyarishta
• Arjuna kshirpaka
• Arvindasava
• Arjuna ghrita

Kshirpaka formula :
The bark of Arjuna (or powder) 4 times the milk, and 16 times the water. The process involves the usual decoction process to boi the mixture till the amount of milk only remain.

Dosage of different formulation :

• Powder : 3-6 gm two or three times a day with milk or water.
• Extracted juice : 10-20 ml two or three times a day with sugar or honey or milk.
• Decoction : 20-40 ml two times a day in the concentration of 1:2
• Kshirpaka : 5-20 gm two times a day.