Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna) is a wide-canopied tree from India with commercial importance for the production of a wild silk, called tassar silk, as well as being an important Ayurvedic herbal medicine.
The Arjuna is also one of the “Bodhi” trees in the world with the reputation as being a tree under which Buddha reached enlightenment.
One of the beautiful things about herbal medicine, is that the plants used as medicines also have folkloric stories and reverence we have assigned to them, and which follows them through the ages.
Although it has a number of other traditional medicinal indications, Arjuna has been used for centuries for heart health in India, and this has gained it the nick name “Guardian of the Heart”. Arjuna is used as a cardiovascular tonic and is reputed for lowering blood pressure, steadying heartbeat, and promoting healthy blood cholesterol. It is also used for boosting immunity and promoting respiratory health.
Beyond the straight physiological uses, Arjuna is believed to play a role in guarding the heart in other ways, and the heart chakra, cultivating an inner strength that love and courage bring to a being. And its common name of ‘Arjuna’ refers to a Hindu story of a master archer and warrior.
Through scientific investigation, a number of pharmacological activities have been confirmed, including antioxidant, antiatherosclerotic, antibacterial, anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic, antiviral, cardiovascular, gastric, hepatoprotective, reproductive, and wound healing activity.
So, it seems the science is confirming the multi-purpose traditional indications of Arjuna and all it means ‘to have a heart’.
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*This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician.
Photo by P Jeganathan