The rising incidence of heart disease worldwide — with India vying for the top spot — is prodding researchers to look for preventives and cures.
Technological advances have helped devise new surgical techniques and better stents. But even the best and most sophisticated technology comes with its own set of limitations. Which is why there has been a revival of interest in the ancient treatment modules.
A decade ago, all Ayurvedic formulations were considered alternative therapy. But today, some of the ancient curatives have generated fresh interest and they are gradually crossing over to become a part of mainstream treatment.
A case in point will be the use of Arjuna extract, which is being prescribed these days either by itself or in combination with other heart medications.
Although the scope of the use of the bark of the Arjuna tree (indigenous to India) is immense, clinical trials have been done mostly on its use in cardiovascular disease — angina, cardiomyopathies and congestive heart failure.
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The Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, which is a teaching hospital of the Harvard Medical School, cites evidence to suggest that Terminalia Arjuna (the botanical name for Arjuna) has shown promise in the treatment of angina.
This benefit occurs due to its blood vessel relaxing property.
Recent medical and chemical analysis of the bark of the Arjuna tree reveals a long list of highly beneficial chemical compounds that includes sterols, antioxidants, minerals and a few others. It is therefore not surprising that the health benefits of Arjuna are not restricted to it being a cardio modulator.
In fact, Arjuna has been proven to have significant lipid lowering and blood pressure reducing properties. The compounds, saponin and gycosides, enhance the heart’s pumping action. The three kinds of saponins — arjunolic acid, arjunic acid, arjungenin — present in Arjuna act as anti-hypertensives and cardio-protector agents.
Moreover, the minerals — calcium and magnesium — present in abundance in the bark also helps to improve the heart’s muscle function. Co-enzyme Q-10, which is also now regularly prescribed as a preventive, is also abundantly found in the bark.
Arjuna can work even as a panacea for cardiac ailments. Although this herb is not associated with severe side-effects, safety studies for the pregnant and nursing mothers and children below 12 years of age have not yet been established.
A randomised, double crossover study (the perfect module for testing) was done on males with chronic but stable angina. The study was divided so that they receive either the standard drug isosorbid mononitrate, or Terminalia arjuna or a placebo.
The groups receiving Arjuna and the standard drug showed improvement in the clinical parameters as well as the treadmill test. In a yet another study conducted on the same pattern showed that the herb reduced the angina episodes and increased exercise capacity.
The International Journal of Cardiology reported that when 500 mg Arjuna was given every eight hours to congestive heart failure patients along with the usual drug therapy, they fared better in terms of blood pressure, fatigue and heart rate as compared with the group which received only the usual drug therapy.
Here is the best part! The Arjuna tree is indigenous to India and is commonly found in most parts of our land. But a word of caution here. The ready availability of the tree should not be construed as an invitation for self-medication, which can lead to potential disasters. Rather, it is an opportunity to conduct indigenous researches, protect our gene pool and develop our intellectual property rights.
As for any medication for any of the diseases mentioned, they should be taken only in consultation with your physician.
