Arjuna terminalia information and product to use for heart conditions

Ancient Indian Medical knowledge known as Ayurveda goes back millennia. The Vedas and Puranas refer various materials of medical importance including herbs, plants and trees, etc. Ancient medical scientists have mentioned the properties of Arjuna. Modern research has discovered that Arjuna has antioxidant properties and may be clinically helpful in patients with angina.
   Although a number of chemicals have been isolated from Terminalia arjuna, only a few have been evaluated for their biological significance.

Arjuna, 550 mg, Planetary Formulas


Supplement Facts
Serving Size 1 Tablet
Servings per bottle: 120


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Terminalia arjuna Bark -  500 mg
Terminalia arjuna Bark Extract - 50 mg
    (standardized 10:1 extract)

Suggested use: Take one Arjuna tablet once a day or as recommended by your health care provider.

Arjuna and the Heart
Arjuna is helpful in patients with angina (see study below)
Arjunolic acid, a new triterpene and a potent principle from the bark of Terminalia arjuna, has been shown to provide significant cardiac protection in isoproterenol induced myocardial necrosis in rats. Arjunolic acid treatment prevents the decrease in the levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, ceruloplasmin, alpha-tocopherol, reduced glutathione (GSH), ascorbic acid, lipid peroxide, MPO and the cardioprotection is confirmed by the histopathological studies. This study shows that the cardioprotection of arjunolic acid pre and post treatment could possibly be due to the protective effect against the damage caused by myocardial necrosis.

 Additional benefits of Arjuna
Arjuna bark has inotropic and hypotensive effects, increase coronary artery flow and protecs myocardium against ischemic damage. Arjuna also has mild diuretic, blood thinning properties. There is clinical evidence of its beneficial effect in coronary artery disease alone and along with statin.
   Arjuna has compounds that help protect against DNA damage from toxins. Compounds in Arjuna lower cholesterol and have antioxidant properties.

Ulcer benefit
Effect of methanolic extract of Terminalia arjuna against Helicobacter pylori 26695 lipopolysaccharide-induced gastric ulcer in rats.
J Pharm Pharmacol. 2008 Apr; Devi RS, Kist M, Vani G, Devi CS. Department of Biochemistry, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai 600025, Tamil Nadu, India.
Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharide (HP-LPS) is a potent virulence factor in the causation of gastric ulcer and gastritis. H. pylori-induced gastric pathology is prevalent throughout the world. Herbal medicines are attracting attention because of their traditional values, popularity and belief, as well as for their advantages such as less toxicity, affordability and medicinal value. The present study aimed to evaluate the anti-ulcer effect of a methanolic extract of Terminalia arjuna (TA) against HP-LPS-induced gastric damage in rats. Ulcers were induced with HP-LPS (50 mug per animal) administered orally daily for 3 days. The efficacy of TA on gastric secretory parameters such as volume of gastric juice, pH, free and total acidity, pepsin concentration, and the cytoprotective parameters such as protein-bound carbohydrate complexes in gastric juice and gastric mucosa was assessed. The protective effect of Terminalia arjuna was also confirmed by histopathological examination of gastric mucosa. HP-LPS-induced alterations in gastric secretory parameters were altered favourably in rats treated with TA, suggesting that TA has an anti-secretory role. Furthermore, HP-LPS-induced impairments in gastric defence factors were also prevented by treatment with Terminalia arjuna. These results suggest that the severe cellular damage and pathological changes caused by HP-LPS are mitigated by TA; these effects are comparable with those of sucralfate. The anti-ulcer effect of TA may reflect its ability to combat factors that damage the gastric mucosa, and to protect the mucosal defensive factors.

Compounds found in Arjuna
A triterpene glycoside, arjunetoside, together with oleanolic and arjunic acids, and a cardenolide, have been isolated from the root bark of Terminalia arjuna. Cytotoxic agents in arjuna herb include arjunic acid, arjungenin, arjunetin and arjunoglucoside.

Arjuna studies
Antimutagenic activities of acetone and methanol fractions of Terminalia arjuna.
Kaur K. Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, India. kamal_Food Chem Toxicol. 2002 Oct;40(10):1475-82.
The antimutagenic effect of benzene, chloroform, acetone and methanol fractions from Terminalia arjuna, a well-known medicinal plant, was determined against Acid Black dye, 2-aminofluorene (2AF) and 4-nitro-o-phenylenediamine (NPD) in TA98 Frameshift mutagen tester strain of Salmonella typhimurium. Among the different fractions, the antimutagenic effect of acetone and methanol fractions was more than that observed with other fractions. Co-incubation and pre-incubation modes of experimentation did not show much difference in the antimutagenic activity of the extracts. Moreover, these fractions inhibited the S9-dependent mutagens, 2AF and Acid Black dye more effectively than the direct-acting mutagens. Studies are under way to isolate and elucidate the nature of the antimutagenic factor in acetone and methanol fractions of arjuna.

Efficacy of Terminalia arjuna in chronic stable angina: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study comparing Terminalia arjuna with isosorbide mononitrate.
Bharani A. MGM Medical College and MY Hospital, Indore, MP. Indian Heart J. 2002 Mar-Apr;54(2):170-5.
Terminalia arjuna, an Indian medicinal plant, has been reported to have beneficial effects in patients with ischemic heart disease in a number of small, open studies. The need for a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study with adequate sample size has long been felt. The arjuna bark extract contains acids (arjunic acid, terminic acid), glycosides (arjunetin arjunosides), strong antioxidants (flavones, tannins, oligomeric proanthocyanidins), minerals. etc. and exhibits anti-ischemic properties. Fifty-eight males with chronic stable angina (NYHA class II-III) with evidence of provocable ischemia on treadmill exercise test received Terminalia arjuna (500 mg 8 hourly), isosorbide mononitrate (40 mg/daily) or a matching placebo for one week each, separated by a wash-out period of at least three days in a randomized, double-blind, crossover design. They underwent clinical, biochemical and treadmill exercise evaluation at the end of each therapy which were compared during the three therapy periods. Terminalia arjuna therapy was associated with significant decrease in the frequency of angina and need for isosorbide dinitrate. The treadmill exercise test parameters improved significantly during therapy with Terminalia arjuna compared to those with placebo. The total duration of exercise increased, maximal ST depression during the longest equivalent stages of submaximal exercise decreased , time to recovery decreased, and higher double products were achieved during Terminalia arjuna therapy. Similar improvements in clinical and treadmill exercise test parameters were observed with isosorbide mononitrate compared to placebo therapy. No significant differences were observed in clinical or treadmill exercise test parameters when Terminalia arjuna and isosorbide mononitrate therapies were compared. No significant untoward effects were reported during Terminalia arjuna therapy. Terminalia arjuna bark extract, 500 mg 8 hourly, given to patients with stable angina with provocable ischemia on treadmill exercise, led to improvement in clinical and treadmill exercise parameters as compared to placebo therapy. These benefits were similar to those observed with isosorbide mononitrate (40 mg/day) therapy and the extract was well tolerated. Limitations of this study include applicability of the results to only men with chronic stable angina but not necessarily to women, as they were not studied.

Arjuna supplements questions
I take two capsules of arjuna bark powder every day, to strengthen my heart. I also have osteoarthritis so I started a new "arthrozyme" tablet, with which I cannot take any blood thinning medications. I wanted to know that does arjuna has any blood thinning properties.
    Arjuna has mild blood thinning activity.

If a person has heart disease and is taking heart medications along with arjuna, we don't recommend the use of yohimbe bark herb. Arjuna studies are not available in combination with heart medications.