Arjuna

(Arjuna Tree)

Department of Dravyaguna
Uttaranchal Medical College of Ayurveda & Research 

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Basic Details

• Botanical Name: Terminalia arjuna

• Family: Combretaceae

Synonyms

Dhaval, Kakumbh, Veervrksha, Nadisarj, Indradru, Hridya

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Morphological Description

Habit:
A large tree reaching 60–80 ft in height.

Bark

• Smooth, grey

• Flakes off in large flat pieces

• Sapwood: Reddish white

• Heartwood: Brown

Leaves

• Sub-opposite

• Size: 10–15 cm long, 4–7 cm wide

• Shape: Oblong or elliptic-oblong

• Apex: Obtuse or subacute

• Upper surface: Pale dull green

• Lower surface: Pale brown

• Venation: Reticulate with 10–15 pairs of arcuate main nerves

• Petiole: 0.5–1 cm long

Inflorescence

• Short axillary spikes or terminal panicles

Flowers

• Sessile

• Bracteoles linear

Fruit

• Drupe

• 2.5–5 cm diameter

• Ovoid / obovoid-oblong

• Fibrous, woody, glabrous

• Dark brown

• Characteristic 5 hard projecting wings

Flowering Time

March – June

Fruiting Time

October – February

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Rasapanchaka

• Rasa: Kashaya

• Guna: Laghu, Ruksha

• Virya: Sheeta

• Vipaka: Katu

• Prabhava: Cardiac tonic (Hridya)

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Pharmacological Properties (Karma)

• Kapha-Pittahara

• Kaphahara

• Medohara

• Asthi-sandhanak

• Hridya

• Vranahara

• Artighna

• Bhagna

• Raktapittahara

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Therapeutic Uses

• Hridya roga (Heart diseases)

• Kushtha

• Kshayaja kasa

• Bhagna (fractures)

• Rakta-pitta

• Vrana

• Arsha

• Atisara

• Grahani roga

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Useful Part

• Bark (main medicinal part)

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Dose

• Decoction: 50–100 ml

• Powder: 3–6 g

• Ksheerapaka (with milk): 20–30 ml

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Important Formulations

• Arjunarishta

• Arjuna Ksheerapaka

• Ashwagandha Arjuna Ksheerapaka

• Kumkumbhadi Churna