AYURVEDA HERBALS: Arjuna

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Arjuna

Arjuna

ØCardiac tonic

ØUseful in emaciation and other similar conditions because of its nutritional value

ØRemoves the unnecessary fat from the body

ØUseful in urinary disorders including diabetes. It specially prevents cardiac complications of diabetes

ØA good healer in fracture

ØUseful in urticaria like conditions

Common Name:

Arjuna (Eng.)

Sanskrit Name:

Arjuna- Means the white one, bright or clear. Arjuna is a plant that makes body and mind clear, spotless and clean of all impurities. Such an empty and stainless mind is ready to receive divine wisdom and the highest understanding. In the Rig Veda, the clear, sunny and bright day is referred to as arjunam.

Dhawal- Means "pure white" in Sanskrit. Because of the fact that it makes the body pure and its bark is also white.

Kakubha- Means wide spread, because of its big size

Indradru- Means big plant

Veervriksha- Means a plant with strength

Nadeesarja- Means a plant that is generally found on the banks of rivers

Lt. name:

Terminalia arjuna- Combretaceae

Bio energetics:

Rasa(Taste)- Kashaya(Astringent)

Guna(Characteristics)- Laghu(Light); Ruksha(Roughness)

Veerya(Potency)- Sheeta(cool and calm)

Vipaka(Post digestion effect)- Katu(Pungent)

Prabhava(Specific action for which there is no explanation as it is the inherent character of it)- Hrudya(Cardiac tonic)

Effect on Tridosha (Three bio humors) :

Arjuna pacifies the Kapha and Pitta so it is very useful in management of diseases having their origin in either Kapha/ Pitta or both.

Actions according to Ayurveda:

Hrudya- Arjuna is a cardiac tonic

Udard prashamana- Arjuna is useful in urticaria like conditions

Kshata jit- Arjuna is useful in wounds

Kshayajit- Arjuna is useful in emaciation and other similar conditions because of its nutritional value

Medohara- Arjuna removes the unnecessary fat from the body

Mehahara- Arjuna is useful in urinary disorders including diabetes. It specially prevents cardiac complications of diabetes

Bhagnajit- Arjuna is a good healer in fracture

Medicinal value:

Research suggests that Terminalia is useful in alleviating the pain of angina pectoris, and in treating heart failure and coronary artery disease.
Terminalia arjuna exihibit cardioprotective because of the antioxidant nature of several of the constituent flavonoids and oligomeric proanthocyanidins, while positive inotropic effects may be caused by the saponin glycosides.
Terminalia may also be protective against gastric ulcers, such as those caused by NSAIDs
One study demonstrated that the aqueous extract of the bark of Terminalia Arjuna could protect the liver and kidney tissues against CCl₄-induced oxidative stress probably by increasing antioxidative defense activities.

Useful part:

Bark

Doses:

Powder- 3-6gms; Decoction with water-50-100 ml; Decoction with milk-5-10ml

Some useful combinations of Arjuna:

Arjunarishta, Kakubhadi churna, Arjuna ghruta

Some special notes about Arjuna:

In heart diseases milk boiled with Arjuna bark should be taken with sugar/ decoction of Panchamoola/ Bala/ Madhuka
In fracture Arjuna Ksheerpaka fastens the healing process.
When one takes Arjuna bark powder with milk/ clarified butter/ jarggery, he enjoys the whole life free from diseases.