ICD-11 BD101 tradition

Heart failure

Cross-tradition comparison: how 1 medical tradition approach heart failure.

Traditions

Treatments

Plants & Sources

Evidence

Treatment Comparison

Tradition	Treatment	Plant	How It Works	Evidence	Preparation	Dosage
Ayurveda	अर्जुन (Arjuna) — Terminalia arjuna	—	—	High	Arjuna Kshira Paka: 3-6g bark powder boiled in equ…	3-6g bark powder twice daily with milk. Arjunarish…

By Tradition

Ayurveda

हृदयरोग (Hridaya Roga) — Heart Disease

Hridaya Roga encompasses heart conditions caused by doshic imbalance affecting the Hridaya (heart) and Rasa-Rakta Dhatus. Charaka describes five types based on the predominant dosha.

Treatments (1)

अर्जुन (Arjuna) — Terminalia arjuna

Arjuna bark is the premier Ayurvedic cardioprotective herb. Described in Ashtanga Hridaya as Hridya (cardiac tonic) and Raktapitta Hara (stops bleeding). Used specifically for Hridaya Roga.

Preparation: Arjuna Kshira Paka: 3-6g bark powder boiled in equal parts milk and water, reduced to milk volume. Also as Arjunarishta (fermented preparation).
How it's taken: Oral (powder with milk, or fermented preparation)
Dosage: 3-6g bark powder twice daily with milk. Arjunarishta: 15-30ml twice daily after meals.
Duration: Long-term use as cardiac tonic — 3-6 months or indefinitely under practitioner guidance

Contraindications

[object Object]

Evidence (3)

ModerateSYSTEMATIC REVIEWn=12 clinical studies, n=780 participants

Terminalia arjuna bark extract for cardiovascular conditions: systematic review

Arjuna bark extract showed significant improvement in ejection fraction, exercise tolerance, and reduction in angina episodes. Cardioprotective via antioxidant, lipid-lowering, and inotropic mechanisms.

HighRCTn=n=116 (58 Arjuna, 58 placebo)

Terminalia arjuna bark powder versus placebo for stable angina: randomized controlled trial

Arjuna bark powder (500mg BID) significantly reduced angina frequency and improved treadmill exercise duration at 12 weeks. Significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (-8.2 mmHg vs -1.1 mmHg).

ModerateRCTn=n=80 (40 Arjuna, 40 placebo, add-on to standard therapy)

Arjuna bark extract for chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: randomized placebo-controlled trial

No significant improvement in 6-minute walk distance (primary endpoint) at 12 weeks (p=0.09). Left ventricular ejection fraction improved by 3.2% in Arjuna group vs 0.8% in placebo (p=0.04). NT-proBNP levels showed borderline improvement.