Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna)
Ayurvedic 'heart bark', small RCTs as adjunct in ischaemic heart disease and chronic stable angina; Indian cardiology practice familiar.
Why
Arjuna bark (Terminalia arjuna) has been used in Ayurveda for cardiac complaints for over 3,000 years. Small modern RCTs report symptom and exercise-tolerance improvements as adjunct in chronic stable angina and post-MI (Bharani 2002, Dwivedi 2005). The Cochrane review on herbal medicines for ischaemic heart disease (Liu 2012) noted limited methodological quality.
How it works
Arjunolic acid and triterpenoid glycosides modulate inotropy, antioxidant defence in cardiac tissue, and reduce endothelin-1 signalling. Improved exercise tolerance via better cardiac efficiency in cardiac-failure models.
Expected onset · Symptom and exercise-tolerance effects over 8–12 weeks
How to take
Dosage
Standardised bark extract: 500 mg three times daily. Traditional powder: 1–3 g/day.
Timing
Divided 2–3 times daily with food
On the label
Standardised Terminalia arjuna bark extract with stated arjunolic-acid content. Quality-tested for heavy metals.
Ideal for
Adults with chronic stable angina or post-MI exploring Ayurvedic adjuncts to specialist-prescribed cardiology care, supervised use only.
Safety
Evidence
Bharani 2002 RCT (n=58 chronic stable angina): arjuna 500 mg three times daily for 12 weeks improved angina frequency and treadmill exercise duration vs placebo. Preliminary, RCTs exist in non-tier-1 journals but are small or short-duration. No Cochrane review, EMA monograph or EFSA-authorised claim covers the indication.
Preliminary, RCTs exist in non-tier-1 journals but are small or short-duration. No Cochrane review, EMA monograph or EFSA-authorised claim covers the indication.
Where to get it
Shop Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna) on AmazonSponsored · As an Amazon Associate, Healicus earns from qualifying purchases.