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Ethanol extracts of Terminalia chebula and Terminalia arjuna were studied for the determination of phytochemical constituents, in vitro antioxidant, anticholinesterase, inhibitory, and antimicrobial activities. Results of phytochemical analysis showed that T. arjuna has significant phenolic and flavonoid contents (108.2 mg PEs/mg extract and 74.2 mg QEs/mg extract) respectively. T. chebula also showed good phenolic contents 113.4 mg PEs/mg extract and low value of flavonoids contents 8.91 QEs/mg extract correspondingly. The antioxidant activity was performed using three complementary assays, including lipid peroxidation inhibitory, metal chelating, and reducing power assays. The acetylcholinesterase assay was performed according to Ellman's method spectrophotometrically. The antibacterial and antifungal activity, however, was determined by the disc and well diffusion methods. Terminalia arjuna exhibited higher lipid peroxidation inhibitory activity (IC50: 57.7 ± 3.7 μg/mL), higher reducing power (A0.5: 0.63 ± 0.4 mg/mL), and higher metal chelating activity (IC50: 115 ± 5.01 μg/mL) that Terminalia arjuna. Both Terminalia species indicated high acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity (IC50: 29.6 ± 3.9 and 29.7 ± 0.5 μg/mL, respectively). Promising antibacterial activity was recorded for Terminalia chebula (72.44 % and 60.0 %) against Bacillus sp. and Staphylococcus species with MIC values of 5.0 mg/mL and 2.5 mg/mL, respectively. Similarly, Terminalia arjuna (72.41 % and 63.33 %) revealed activity against Bacillus sp. and Staphylococcus species with MIC values of 2.5 mg/mL and 5.0 mg/mL. However, all the tested fungal strains were resistible to both species. In conclusion, Terminalia arjuna and Terminalia chebula may be significant sources of potential new acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, which could be utilized to treat Alzheimer's disease. The plants are also recommended for further studies to isolate antimicrobial agents and lipid peroxidation inhibitors.

Sericin were isolated and characterized from tasar cocoons raised in three different food plants i.e. Terminalia arjuna, T. tomentosa and Shorea robusta for its applications. Their molecular composition, structure and physical nature were determined by elemental analysis, amino acid analysis, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) analysis. These results show that tasar food plants influence the physical and chemical properties of sericin. Further, sericin isolated from cocoons of S. robusta food plant shows better antioxidant potential and inhibition of tyrosinase, elastase and glutathione-S-transferase activity than other food plants. This may be attributed to its amino acid variations and associated phenolic content. The present study appears to be useful in utilizing tasar sericin as a potential bio-molecule for its prospective utilization in pharmaceuticals and its associated fields.

Urban forests help regulating flow of ecosystem services and are efficient to sequester atmospheric carbon. Tree carbon stock in urban forests and green spaces can help improving human well-being. Nagpur being one of the fastest growing urban agglomerate in India that has faced rapid loss of green spaces in last three decades. Present study assessed tree biomass carbon storage potential of a historically conserved large (67.41 ha) Seminary Hills Reserve forest of Nagpur. A total of 150 quadrats of 100 m2 were laid to understand the vegetation structure and tree biomass storage. Overall structure and composition of the forest was assessed while, non-destructive biomass estimation was carried out using tree volume eqs. A total of 27 tree species belonging to 12 plant families were observed from the forest with only 6 tree species being dominant and remaining 21 being rare in occurrence. The maximum tree carbon storage was observed in dominant tree species of Hardwickia binata (76.30 t C ha−1) followed by 17.04 t C ha−1 in Tectona grandis and 1.19 t C ha−1 in Boswellia serrata. Carbon stock in other co-dominant species was reported in Terminalia bellirica (76.57 kg C ha−1), Gardenia resinifera (1118.6 g C ha−1) and Terminalia arjuna (84.8 g C ha−1). Total carbon stock of dominant tree species present in Seminary Hills urban forest was 94.53 ± 39.6 t C ha−1. The study intends to bring focus ecosystem benefits from Urban Forests in growing urban sprawls of India and the need to include their vital role in urban planning.

This study explores the modification of bacterial nanocellulose (BNC), produced in fermented tea medium with bio-extracts from herbal plants, to produce entirely natural antibacterial nanocellulose films. The antibacterial property was imparted by impregnating the synthesized BNC into bio-extracts of Terminalia arjuna (arjuna), Azadirachta indica (neem), Withania somnifera (ashwagandha), Tinospora cordifolia (giloy), and Murraya koenigii (curry leaves). FE-SEM analysis of modified BNC films revealed the presence of cloudy layer of bio-extracts over the BNC nanofibrous network. The modified BNC production was confirmed by ATR-FTIR. The modified BNC showed tremendous antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Aerococcus viridians (A. viridans). T. arjuna modified BNC showed the highest antibacterial activity against E. coli and A. viridans with inhibition zone of 27.08 mm and 26.34 mm, respectively, while M. koeniggi modified BNC showed the lowest antibacterial activity for both E. coli and A. viridans with inhibition zone of 14 mm and 14.2 mm, respectively. The water retention, moisture content and porosity values reflect highly hydrophilic nature of BNC films and their well suitability for varied biomedical applications like antibacterial wound dressings, herbal biomasks, scaffoldings, etc. The modification of BNC films with the bio-extracts used in this study has not been reported previously.

Trees outside Forest (TOF) play a critical role in conservation of floristic diversity apart from being reservoirs of other ecosystem services. TOF includes all the trees, attained 10 cm or more diameters at breast height, available on lands, which is not notified as forests. The present study was conducted in the Pundibari campus of Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya to document the available tree diversity and their potential uses and ecosystem services. A total of 1816 numbers of individuals with dbh ≥ 10 cm of 95 woody perennials species were inventoried belonging to 79 genera and 38 families. The contribution among number of individuals was dominated by Mangifera indica with (9.19%). The overall dominant family was Fabaceae represented by 11 species followed by Arecaceae and Meliaceae. The contribution of inventoried 95 species was dominated by forestry tree species followed by road isde plantation, fruit crops and plantation crops respectively. The highest number of individuals among forestry plantation was for Terminalia arjuna (121) followed by Gmelina arborea (114) and Tectona grandis (95). The documented species were dominated by endemic flora (66.31%) and exotic flora (33.68%). Majority of the species (54) were of timber value, followed by food (50), fodder (36) and ethno-medicine (39). Based on the contribution to ecosystem services all the 95 species have the potential to sequest carbon followed by 46 species to provide beautification in the form of avenue/ornamental/roadside. The tree species richness and their potential ecosystem services documented in the present study can be a baseline study for further assessment of such landscapes and their significance under threatning environmental conditions.

Surging demand of fish production for nutritional and livelihood security manifested with irrational use of synthetic growth enhancer and immunostimulants which are fostering the awful health concerned to human being and negatively affecting the beneficial micro-biota in aquatic ecosystem. The need of hour is to use environment friendly herbal therapy, as an alternate to those chemicals and compounds. The Terminalia arjuna is known for its excellent array of ethnomedicinal properties including antimicrobial, antioxidant and was reported to have positive effects on metabolomics of the animals. A 90-day experiment was conducted to ensure effective valorization of Terminalia arjuna bark powder (TABP) based feed in Labeo rohita. Four iso-nitrogenous {305.74 g crude protein (CP)/ kg diet} and iso-caloric {18.15 MJ gross energy (GE)/kg diet} experimental diets were formulated incorporating 0.0, 5.00, 10.00 and 15.0 g TABP /kg feed and designated as TABP0, TABP5, TABP10 and TABP15, respectively. 540 juveniles (average weight, 20.7 g, 45 fish per tank) were randomly stocked in 12 fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) tank (500 L water capacity). Fish were fed twice at 9.30 h and 5.00 h to satiation level. Results of this study revealed the highest growth rates {weight gain percentage (WGP) and specific growth rate (SGR)}, nutrient utilization {protein efficiency ratio (PER), apparent net protein utilization (ANPU), fat retention (FR) and energy retention (ER)} and survival percentage (SRP) in L. rohita at 10 g TABP/ kg feed. While feed conversion ratio (FCR) followed an inverse trend (P 0.05). Viscerosomatic index (VSI) and craniosomatic index (CSI) were significantly affected (P 0.05). Whole body composition was influenced (P 0.05). RNA content and RNA: DNA ratio were positively correlated to growth rates and nutrient retentions (P

Previous studies have shown that hyperoxaluria is concomitant with the formation of CaOx crystals and the subsequent propensity of these crystals towards renal cells greatly increases the risk for the development of urolithiasis. Despite advances in surgical management, recurrence of stones and side effects of present day treatment persists and in the light of this a cost-effective substitute from natural sources such as phytotherapy is being sought. The present study was designed to investigate the antiurolithiatic efficacy of a single plant preparation comprising of an aqueous extract (AE) of the bark of Terminalia arjuna (T. arjuna) on oxalate injured cells. The authors used an in vitro model system comprising of a normal epithelial cell line (NRK-52E) which was exposed to 2 mM oxalate for 48 h, following which the cytoprotective potential of AE on cell viability, CaOx crystal adherence and apoptotic changes were evaluated. The results revealed that co-treatment with T. arjuna AE to cells exposed to 2 mM oxalate for 48 h, rendered protection from oxalate triggered damage. On treatment with different concentrations of the T. arjuna AE, the cell viability increased in a concentration dependent manner. Moreover, the extract prevented the interaction of the CaOx crystals to the cell surface and reduced the number of apoptotic cells. The current data suggests that T. arjuna bark aqueous extract could be a potential phytotherapeutic treatment against urolithiasis based on its ability to diminish oxalate induced morphological changes, apoptosis and death of renal cells thereby leading to cell survival.

Alzheimer's disease is one of the most dreadful disorders of 21st century with no effective therapy till date, clinically characterized by loss of cognitive function. β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) is considered as the key pathogenic factor in AD, which on aggregation provokes oxidative stress mediated neuronal damage affecting activities of daily life such as learning and memory. Hence, the present study focuses on the exploration of neuroprotective potential of T. chebula and T. arjuna by evaluating its antioxidant, anticholinesterase and antiamyloidogenic activities. Results of antioxidant assays showed that methanolic extract of T. chebula fruit (TCF) and T. arjuna bark (TAB) exhibited highest reducing capacity, free radical scavenging activity and metal chelating potential. Furthermore, TCF and TAB also exhibited dual cholinergic effect by inhibiting both AChE (IC50 value 81.26 ± 7.79 73.99 ± 2.11 μg/ml, respectively) and BuChE (IC50 value 81.44 ± 1.23; 52.16 ± 3.94 μg/ml respectively). Total polyphenolic content of TCF and TAB was observed to be 479.25 ± 0.5, 597.25 ± 0.5 μg of Gallic acid Equivalent/mg of extract. Molecular docking studies on LC-MS fractions of TCF and TAB revealed 7-MG as target compound with good predicted activities and promising ADMET properties. Enzyme kinetic studies revealed that 7-MG exhibited competitive and partially noncompetitive mode of inhibition for AChE and BuChE. Results of Th-T fluorescence, confocal microscopic and FTIR analysis illustrated that 7-MG blocked nucleation step thereby preventing the aggregation of Aβ peptide and destabilizing the preformed mature fibrils. Over all the results conclude that 7-MG via its multi-targeting ability may be beneficial in the treatment of AD and related neurodegenerative disorders.

The present study was aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial and antioxidant potential of ethanolic extract and its different solvent fractions (chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and aqueous fraction) of bark and leaves of Terminalia arjuna. The antimicrobial activity was determined by disc diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) methods against six bacterial stains. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by using DPPH, FRAP and Nitric oxide (NO) scavenging assay. The total phenolics and flavonoid content were found to be higher in n-butanolic fraction of bark (294.6 ± 8.1 mg/g GAE and 168.6 ± 12.3 mg/g RE, respectively) and leaves (203.7 ± 7.0 mg/g GAE and 144.8 ± 11.1 mg/g RE, respectively). The maximum antimicrobial activity was shown by n-butanolic fraction of bark and leaves. The zone of inhibition of 15.0 ± 0.7 mm, 15.5 ± 0.7 mm, 15.0 ± 1.5 mm, 15.5 ± 0.7 mm, 15.0 ± 0.7 mm, 15.0 ± 0.7 mm was observed against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Eschericia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella typhi respectively. In case of leaves extract, zone of inhibition of 13.5 ± 0.7 mm, 16.5 ± 0.7 mm, 14.0 ± 0.5 mm, 15.0 ± 0.5 mm, 13.5 ± 0.7 mm, 14.0 ± 0.7 mm was observed against B. subtilis, S. aureus, E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, S. typhi, respectively. The n-butanol fraction of bark [IC50-4.1 μg/ml (DPPH), 21.0 μM (FRAP), 3.3 μg/ml (NO)] and leaves [IC50-4.8 μg/ml (DPPH), 28.9 μM (FRAP), 3.2 μg/ml (NO)] showed more antioxidant potential as compared to that of crude ethanolic extract, ethyl acetate fraction, chloroform fraction, aqueous fraction and even ascorbic acid. These results clearly indicated comparative antioxidant potential and antimicrobial activity in extracts of bark and leaves of T. arjuna., Graphical abstract Image 1

Terminalia arjuna Wight & Arn is used in the Indian traditional medicinal system for the treatment of various cardiac disorders and has been used for the treatment of various human problems like blood diseases, anemia, viral disease, fractures, ulcers, hepatic problems. This study was designed to understand the genetic variation in T. arjuna from different geographical regions of North-west Himalayas. Using the RAPD-PCR method, a total of 183 DNA bands were amplified from 30 accessions of T. arjuna with an average of 6.1 bands per primer. The amplified band size ranges from 150-1700 bp. The Polymorphic Information Content (PIC) value ranges from 0.244 (OPB-10) to 0.781 (OPA-02). The Marker Index (MI) values ranged from 0.6075 to 6.248, with an average of 3.1378. The effective multiplex ratio (EMR) values range from 1.33 (OPC-12) to 9 (OPC-20). A positive correlation was observed between PIC and MI (r = 0.83), MI and EMR (r = 0.873) values. The percentage of polymorphic loci among T. arjuna populations was found to be 71.17%, while AMOVA showed 85% variance within the populations and 15% among the populations. From UPGMA cluster analysis, intermixing of accessions of different populations was observed. This study concludes a genetic variation among different accessions of T. arjuna, indicating good cross-pollination, leading to gene flow between closely located accessions without affecting the gene pool. The genetic diversity information of T. arjuna reported in this study is a very important component for efficient conservation and effective management of its genetic resources.

Background Pathological stress can lead to the development of cardiac hypertrophy (CH) through induction of oxidative stress and tissue remodeling. Initiation of CH is associated with increase in cardiac myocyte size, generation of reactive oxygen species and expressional changes in fetal cardiac genes. Ayurveda has prescribed several herbo-mineral formulations that can benefit during cardiac morbidities, including CH. Purpose In this study, we analyzed the efficacy of traditional Ayurveda-based medicines Divya-Arjuna-Kwath (bark extract of Terminalia arjuna; TAE), and Divya-HridyAmrit-Vati (HAV) in attenuating Isoproterenol (ISP)-stimulated CH in murine cardiomyocytes (H9c2). Methods H9c2 cells were exposed to varying concentrations of ISP, TAE and HAV for cytosafety assessment. An inhibition concentration of 50% for ISP was observed at 145.2 µM in H9c2 cells. H9c2 cells were stimulated with 50 µM of ISP and studied for the CH-modulating efficacy of TAE and HAV at cellular, biochemical, and molecular levels. Results ISP-induced CH in H9c2 cells through an increase in cellular protein content, cell size increase, escalation in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and reduced antioxidant levels. ISP-stimulated an over-expression of CH-biomarker genes for oxidative stress (LOX-1, COX-2, NOX-2, and NOX-4), fetal cardiac remodeling (ACTC-1, and ANF), and cardiac injury (TNNI, TNNT, and CRLS-1). Co-treatment of ISP-stimulated H9c2 cells with TAE or HAV modulated the cellular redox state through inhibition of ROS, MMP, and rebalancing antioxidant levels. TAE and HAV reduced the over-expression of ISP-stimulated CH-biomarker genes in H9c2 cells. HPLC-based phytochemicals analysis of TAE and HAV showed the presence of ellagic acid, quercetin, catechin, gallocatechin, arjunic acid, arjungenin, gallic acid, and vanillic acid reported to have antioxidant properties. Conclusion Taken together, Divya-Arjuna-Kwath and Divya-HridyAmrit-Vati showed substantial pharmacological effects in the intonation of ISP-stimulated oxidative stress in the H9c2 cardiomyocytes; and could be considered as the complementary Ayurveda-based formulation for curing cardiac ailments like hypertrophy.

The indiscriminate use of chemicals and antibiotics has prompted the search for an alternative in the form of herbal therapy. An attempt was made to assess the efficacy of serially fractionated solvent extracts of Terminalia arjuna (Roxb) against significant aquaculture microbes. The solvent extracts were designated as Br1-Br7, F1-F7, and L1-L7, and they contained the bark, fruit, and leaves of T. arjuna, as well as 17 bacterial isolates of various types and one fungus, Aphanomyces invadans. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for bacterial isolates ranged from 0.0 to 25 μg/mL, with an average of 11.39 ± 0.48 μg/mL. The ethanolic bark extract, Br5 (20.83 ± 0.10 mm), and the ethanolic fruit extract, F5 (19.50 ± 0.06 mm) had the greatest inhibition zone against Edwardsiella tarda (B1), and solvent extracts were effective at 0.5 mg/mL and 1 mg/mL for bacterial isolates and fungal strains, respectively. Ellagic acid (m/z 302.01 g/mol), 18-Glycyrrhetinic acid (m/z 470.34 g/mol), Azelaic acid (m/z 188.10 g/mol), and Caffeic acid (m/z 180.04 g/mol) were found to be the most prominent and best fit (> 80 percent) in mzcloud computing. Naringenin (m/z 272.06 g/mol) was discovered in Acetone bark extract, Kanamycin (m/z 426.35 g/mol) and Tetracycline (m/z 444.415 g/mol) in Ethanol bark extract, Orientin (m/z 448.10 g/mol), and Phloretin (m/z 274.08 g/mol) in leaf extracts, and the current study is the first of its kind, and it found that ethanolic bark extract (Br5) has the highest potential antimicrobial activity, followed by methanolic bark extract. As a result, the current study suggests that T. arjuna can be effectively valorized as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial for disease management and human welfare.

Background Terminalia arjuna (TA) is a widely used medicinal plant in Indian traditional medicinal system. In the Ayurvedic system of medicine it is used as a cardiotonic and also well documented in experimental studies for its efficacy in various cardiac ailments. Few recent studies have reported its neuroprotective effects in rat model of cerebral ischemia. However, the effect of TA on cerebral ischemia induced Blood brain barrier (BBB) damage is still unclear. Purpose The present study is aimed to evaluate the ameliorative effect of aqueous extract of Terminalia arjuna (aeTA) against transient focal cerebral ischemia induced BBB damage. Study design Adult male Sprague-dawley rats (270–300g) were randomly divided into three groups: Sham, Lesion (Middle cerebral artery occlusion for 2 hours) and aeTA pre-treatment at a dose of 500 mg /kg body weight/day orally for 15 days prior to MCAo. Materials and Methods After 24 h of ischemic-reperfusion injury, the rats were assessed for behavioral deficits by Modified neurological severity scoring (mNSS), infarct measurement by Triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining, BBB integrity by Evans blue (EB) staining, protein and mRNA expressions of TJ proteins (Claudin5 & Occludin), MMPs (MMP2 & MMP9) and TIMPs (TIMP1 & TIMP2) through western blot analysis and real time PCR. Results The pre-treatment with aeTA for 15 days exhibited significant improvement in neurological outcome and reduced infarct volume compared with the MCAo rats. The aeTA treatment also reduced the BBB damage which was confirmed through decreased EB extravasations, significant reduction in protein levels of MMPs (MMP2 &MMP9) and maintaining the protein levels of tight junction proteins. We also found that aeTA treatment downregulated the mRNA levels of MMPs and upregulated mRNA expression levels of TIMPs and tight junction proteins (Claudin5 & Occludin). Conclusion These results demonstrate the neuroprotective property of aeTA treatment by reducing the MMPs mediated BBB damage after focal cerebral ischemia.

Effect of addition of ethanolic extracts of Terminalia arjuna (TA) (0.3%) in free (Drink 1) and encapsulated form (Drink 2) on storage stability of sterilized flavoured dairy drinks (FDDs) was evaluated at room temperature. FDDs prepared without any addition of TA extract were treated as controls. Significant (P

Stress and emotion are associated with several illnesses from headaches to heart diseases and immune deficiencies to central nervous system. Terminalia arjuna has been referred as traditional Indian medicine for several ailments. The present study aimed to elucidate the effect of T. arjuna bark extract (TA) against picrotoxin-induced anxiety. Forty two male Balb/c mice were randomly divided into six experimental groups (n = 7): control, diazepam (1.5 mg·kg-1), picrotoxin (1 mg·kg-1) and three TA treatemt groups (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg). Behavioral paradigms and PCR studies were performed to determine the effect of TA against picrotoxin-induced anxiety. The results showed that TA supplementation increased locomotion towards open arm (EPM) and illuminated area (light-dark box test), and increased rearing frequency (open field test) in a dose dependent manner, compared to picrotoxin (P < 0.05). Furthermore, TA increased number of licks and shocks in Vogel's conflict. PCR studies showed an up-regulation of several genes, such as BDNF, IP3, D2L, CREB, GABAA, SOD, GPx, and GR in TA administered groups. In conclusion, alcoholic extract of TA bark showed protective activity against picrotoxin in mice by modulation of genes related to synaptic plasticity, neurotransmitters, and antioxidant enzymes.

The study demonstrated the in vitro and in vivo anti-hyperchoeterolemic activity of purified fraction of fermentation extract of endophytic fungus Diaporthe arengae TATW2 isolated from Terminalia arjuna Roxb. (Combretaceae). In vitro anti-hypercholesterolemic activity was carried out using human red blood cells (hRBCs) of healthy and hypercholesterolemic donors. Bioactive fraction of the crude extract was obtained using activity guided fractionation followed by Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC). In vivo efficacy studies of this isolated compound were carried out using albino Wistar rats. After 24 h incubation of whole blood as well as isolated erythrocytes from hypercholesterolemic donors with 100 µg/mL of extract of TATW 2, the concentration of RBC membrane cholesterol was found to be reduced significantly (P

The stem bark of Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.) is widely used in Ayurveda in various cardiovascular diseases. Many animal and clinical studies have validated its anti-ischemic, antihypertensive, antihypertrophic and antioxidant effects. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a fatal disease which causes right ventricular hypertrophy and right heart failure. Pulmonary vascular smooth muscle hypertrophy and increased oxidative stress are major pathological features of PH. As available limited therapeutic options fail to reduce the mortality associated with PH, alternative areas of therapy are worth exploring for potential drugs, which might be beneficial in PH.The effect of a standardised aqueous extract of the stem bark of Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.) in preventing monocrotaline (MCT)-induced PH in rat was investigated.The study was approved by Institutional Animal Ethics Committe. Male Wistar rats (150-200g) were randomly distributed into five groups; Control, MCT (50mg/kg subcutaneously once), sildenafil (175µg/kg/day three days after MCT for 25 days), and Arjuna extract (TA125 and TA250 mg/kg/day orally after MCT for 25 days). PH was confirmed by right ventricular weight to left ventricular plus septum weight (Fulton index), right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP), echocardiography, percentage medial wall thickness of pulmonary arteries (%MWT). Oxidative stress in lung was assessed by super oxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, reduced glutathione (GSH) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS). The protein expressions of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase (NOX-1) in lung and gene expression of Bcl2 and Bax in heart were analyzed by Western blot and RT PCR respectively.MCT caused right ventricular hypertrophy (0.58±0.05 vs 0.31±0.05; P0.001 vs. control) and increase in RVSP (33.5±1.5 vs 22.3±4.7mm of Hg; P0.001). Both sildenafil and Arjuna prevented hypertrophy and RVSP. Pulmonary artery acceleration time to ejection time ratio in echocardiography was decreased in PH rats (0.49±0.05 vs 0.32±0.06; P0.001) which was prevented by sildenafil (0.44±0.06; P0.01) and TA250 (0.45±0.06; P0.01). % MWT of pulmonary arteries was increased in PH and was prevented by TA250. Increase in TBARS (132.7±18.4 vs 18.8±1.6nmol/mg protein; P0.001) and decrease in SOD (58.4±14.1 vs 117.4±26.9U/mg protein; P0.001) and catalase (0.30±0.05 vs 0.75±0.31U/mg protein; P0.001) were observed in lung tissue of PH rats, which were prevented by sildenafil and both the doses of Arjuna extract. Protein expression of NOX1 was significantly increased in lung and gene expression of Bcl2/Bax ratio was significantly decreased in right ventricle in MCT-induced PH, both were significantly prevented by Arjuna and sildenafil.Aqueous extract of Terminalia arjuna prevented MCT-induced pulmonary hypertension which may be attributed to its antioxidant as well as its effects on pulmonary arteriolar wall thickening.

The stem bark of Terminalia arjuna (Roxb. ex DC.) Wight and Arn. (Arjuna) is used in Indian system of medicine (Ayurveda) for treatment of various cardiac diseases, including heart failure. However, well designed clinical trials exploring its efficacy and safety in chronic heart failure (CHF) are lacking.To ascertain the add-on efficacy and safety of a standardized water extract of stem bark of Arjuna (Arjuna extract) in CHF patients on standard pharmacotherapy.Double-blind, parallel, randomized, placebo-controlled add-on clinical trial.After approval of institutional ethics committee, 100 patients of CHF of New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class II on standard pharmacotherapy having an echocardiographic left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 40% were consecutively recruited with informed consent and randomized 1:1 to Arjuna extract 750 mg or matching placebo twice daily. The primary outcome measure was change in LVEF at 12 weeks. Secondary outcome measures included changes in (i) NYHA functional class, (ii) distance covered in 6 min walk test (6MWT), (iii) quality of life (QoL), as determined by the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ), (iv) plasma brain natriuretic peptide, (v) plasma cytokines (interleukin-6, high sensitivity C-reactive protein and tumour necrosis factor-α) and (vi) oxidative stress markers [serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), red blood cell (RBC) superoxide dismutase (SOD), RBC catalase and RBC glutathione (GSH)] at 6 and 12 weeks. Safety assessment was done by adverse event monitoring and laboratory investigations. Results were expressed as mean ± SD or median (interquartile range) and analysed with intention-to- treat principle using appropriate two-sided statistical tests. A p-value < 0.05 was considered significant.Arjuna extract was well-tolerated, but did not change LVEF (24.3 ± 7.1 versus 25.5 ± 7.7%; p = 0.4) or secondary outcome measures except preservation of RBC catalase activity [1275(104, 10350) versus 1243.5(104, 10350) U/g haemoglobin; p = 0.01] compared to placebo. Significantly greater percentage increases occurred in distance covered in 6 MWT, RBC-SOD, RBC catalase, RBC GSH and in symptom severity and stability domains of KCCQ in patients on Arjuna extract versus those on placebo, on a post-hoc analysis, between subgroups of patients who improved in these outcomes.Arjuna extract did not improve LVEF in CHF patients over 12 weeks, although there was improvement in functional capacity, antioxidant reserves and symptom-related QoL domains in some patients.

In the present study, a hybrid treatment system (biological and ozonation) was developed and used in the decolorization of Congo red (CR) dye. The biological treatment was performed in packed bed bioreactor (PBBR) containing Arjuna (Terminalia Arjuna) seeds biochar immobilized with Providencia stuartii, whereas ozonation was carried out in an ozone reactor. The process variables such as temperature, process time, and inoculum size were optimized and found to be 30 °C, 2 48 h, and 3 × 105 CFU/mL, respectively with 92.0 ± 5.0% of dye decolorization. Furthermore, biologically treated effluent was subject to ozone treatment for the decolorization of the remaining CR dye. The hybrid approach reveals almost complete decolorization of Congo red (CR) dye. The kinetic study of microbial growth was examined by Monod model. In addition, the cost analysis estimation for the removal of CR dye was done, and removal per liter was found to be economic.

Natural dyes are eco-friendly, non-hazardous and sustainable. But the use of metal mordants such as copper, chromium, tin and zinc could make the application of natural dyes unsustainable since they are heavy metals. Hence, sustainable natural dyeing could be achieved with natural mordanting assistant such as myrobalan, metal mordants like alum and ferrous sulphate which have lesser environmental impacts compared to other metal mordants. The current study aims at extracting natural dyes from the fruits of Terminalia arjuna and Thespesia populnea and their application on textiles such as silk, cotton and nylon. Ultrasonic bath dyeing, an energy-efficient method, has been adopted for the study and the process has been compared with conventional water bath dyeing. It has been observed that ultrasonic dyeing is better both in terms of dye exhaustion and energy conservation compared to water bath dyeing.

The use of saline water is one likely option for sustainable cultivation of ornamental plants, particularly in water-scarce regions. To assess the feasibility of sustainable cultivation under saline irrigation water (NaCl at 4000 ppm) in such regions, a field experiment was conducted at the nursery of the Ornamental Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Egypt, during the seasons of 2015/2016 and 2016/2017, in which five different management treatments (humic acid, proline, gypsum, leaching, and magnetite) were studied to evaluate their effectiveness on alleviating adverse salinity effects on Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.) Wight & Arn. seedling growth, photosynthetic pigment concentration, and leaf chemical constituents. Generally, compared to seedlings irrigated with saline water, most of the treatments caused significant increases in plant height, number of leaves and main roots/plant, stem diameter, leaf area, fresh and dry weights of leaves and main stem and branches, as well as the concentrations of chlorophylls a and b, total carotenoids, N, P, K, Ca, and proline. Moreover, the parameters for treated plants receiving the different management treatments were close to those of plants irrigated with tap water. Na and Cl concentrations were significantly decreased by most of the treatments in comparison to saline water. The most beneficial treatment among all in reducing negative salinity impacts was humic acid, followed by proline, gypsum, leaching, and magnetite. The results of our study indicate positive effects of all treatments, which can be useful in counteracting the negative consequences of the irrigating with saline water. Such treatments, moreover, may prove to be promising approaches in confronting the challenge of achieving sustainable cultivation under saline irrigation water in arid and semi-arid regions.

Terminalia arjuna is a tree having an extensive medicinal potential in cardiovascular disorders. Triterpenoids are mainly responsible for cardiovascular properties. Alcoholic and aqueous bark extracts of T. arjuna, arjunic acid, arjunetin and arjungenin were evaluated for their potential to inhibit CYP3A4, CYP2D6 and CYP2C9 enzymes in human liver microsomes. We have demonstrated that alcoholic and aqueous bark extract of T. arjuna showed potent inhibition of all three enzymes in human liver microsomes with IC50 values less than 50μg/mL. Arjunic acid, arjunetin and arjungenin did not show significant inhibition of CYP enzymes in human liver microsomes. Enzyme kinetics studies suggested that the extracts of arjuna showed reversible non-competitive inhibition of all the three enzymes in human liver microsomes. Our findings suggest strongly that arjuna extracts significantly inhibit the activity of CYP3A4, CYP2D6 and CYP2C9 enzymes, which is likely to cause clinically significant drug–drug interactions mediated via inhibition of the major CYP isozymes.

Urban forest is a collection of trees growing in urban area. Green plants are well known for their abilities to reduce air and noise pollution. It is important that plants used for the development of urban forest must be tolerant to air pollutants. There must be some criteria to select tolerant plants for urban forest and for that two indices viz. air pollution tolerance index (APTI) and anticipated performance index (API) can be a good tool. In the present study, 29 plant species commonly found in urban area of Varanasi, India, has been evaluated for their APTI and API. Based on these two indices, the most suitable plant species were identified and recommended for development of urban forest in Varanasi for long-term air pollution abatement. It was revealed that Ficus benghalensis L. and Ficus religiosa would be excellent performers. Similarly Polyalthia longifolia , Ficus glomerata (Roxb.), Anthocephalus indicus and Mangifera indica were estimated to be very good performers. In the similar fashion Cassia fistula L., Drypetes roxburghii , Terminalia arjuna , Psidium guajava L., Millingtonia hortensis and Dalbergia sissoo were estimated to be good performers with respect to anticipated performance index.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.) Wight & Arn. is one of the most popular and beneficial medicinal plants in indigenous system of medicine for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. This comprehensive review provides latest updates on traditional use, phytochemistry, pharmacological and toxicological data, clinical efficacy and safety of Terminalia arjuna as well as outlined strategies for future research and development to scientifically validate the therapeutic potential of this plant. Materials and methods Information about Terminalia arjuna was collected via a systematic electronic and library search of various indexed and non-indexed journals, some local books and varied articles published on ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and traditional uses. Various pre-clinical (2000–2014) and clinical studies (1990–2014) have also been considered regarding efficacy and safety profile of Terminalia arjuna. Results Evidence from various in vitro, in vivo and clinical trials reveal the pleiotropic effects of Terminalia arjuna such as anti-atherogenic, hypotensive, inotropic, anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic and antioxidant actions for treatment of various cardiovascular disorders. It is clearly documented that this plant has a good safety profile when used in conjunction with other conventional drugs. However, there is a paucity of data regarding the exact molecular mechanism of its action, appropriate form of drug administration, whether whole crude drug or aqueous or alcoholic extract should be used, toxicological studies and its interaction with other drugs. Conclusions In conclusion, this review highlights the importance as well as pleiotropic actions and functional aspects of Terminalia arjuna especially in cardiovascular diseases. Though, various pharmacological studies and clinical trials support its benefit in the CVD as per traditional use, new clinical trials using more rigorous state of the art technology and in a larger population setup are warranted to assess the traditional putative efficacy of Terminalia arjuna.

With the grace of biodiversity which mother nature has bestowed all over the world we have allocated to develop green, eco-friendly, silver nanoparticles of great economic value, critical importance and having high applicability, especially in the biomedical landscape. Extracts from a wide range of different plant materials from the botanical diversity, Elaeocarpus ganitrus Roxb. (Rudraksha beads), Terminalia arjuna Roxb. (bark, foliage and fruits of Arjuna plant), Pseudotsuga menzietii (foliage of Christmas tree), Prosopis spicigera (foliage of Shami), Ficus religiosa (foliage of Peepal or sacred Fig), Ocimum sanctum (foliage of Tulsi) and Curcuma longa (rhizome of turmeric), were used to mediate the formation of silver nanoparticles. The diversity and variation in phytochemicals also led to notable variation in morphological and physico-chemical nature of the silver nanostructures obtained through this extracellular biosynthesis. The similarity together with the variation has been comparatively analyzed and studied here. Various characterization techniques have been used for the assessment, like UV/visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis and nanoparticle size analysis. Antimicrobial assay was also done using the phyto-fabricated nano silver pellets against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (gram negative), and Staphylococcus aureus (gram positive). The vitality of this study lies in the information it provides to the biomedical and nanotechnology based industries, for the development and outcome of value added products, by utilizing the wealth of global ecological resources, eliminating obnoxious and toxic reagents which are hazardous to be handled as well as to be applied.

Background: Medicinal plants have been a major source of therapeutic agents from ancient times to cure diseases. The evaluation of rich heritage of traditional medicine is essential. The bark of Terminalia arjuna is rich in polyphenols (60–70%) including flavonoids and tannins. Aim: The aim of the present investigation is to highlight the anticarcinogenic and antimutagenic potential of extracts of T. arjuna. Subject and methods: In this experiment we have used human lymphocyte culture and bone marrow cells of albino mice as assay system. The parameters studied included chromosomal aberrations (CA), sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) and cell growth kinetics (RI) both in the presence and in the absence of exogenous metabolic activation system for in vitro experiment, whereas total aberrant cells and the total frequencies of aberrations were taken for in vivo study. Results : The role of T. arjuna extracts in reducing metaphase aberrations due to aflatoxin B1 is quite significant, the reduction varying from 23.49%, 42.47%, and 59.65% down to 12.32%, 28.00%, and 36.88% respectively at the highest dose (TA 4 ) for the three different durations viz., 24, 48 and 72 h. Similarly the number of sister chromatid exchanges got reduced from a higher level of 15.00± 1.40 per cell to 7.70 ± 0.50 per cell with S9 mix at 48 h of treatment. The replication index was enhanced from 1.33 to 1.55 in vitro . Similar trends were noticed in the in vivo experiments i.e., effective reductions in clastogeny ranging from 15.22% to 54.82% from the mutagen treated positive control and the total frequencies in aberrant cells got reduced from 429 due to AFB1 to 141 due to 5th concentration of Terminalia extracts at 32 h of exposure. Conclusion: The ameliorating potential of Terminalia extracts was dose and time dependant. Keywords : Ayurvedic medicine; Carcinogen; Chromosomal aberration; Sister chromatid exchange; Replication index; Terminalia arjuna

Arjuna Ksheera Paka (AKP), a traditional Ayurvedic formulation of Terminalia arjuna (T. arjuna) bark powder is used for its cardioprotective effects. However, its anti-inflammatory efficacy remained unexplored. In the present study, AKP was prepared in cow milk (as per standard Ayurvedic procedure) and compared with standard hydroalcoholic extract (HA) of T. arjuna. The extracts were analyzed for gross phytoconstituents levels, and their antioxidant activity was assayed by DPPH free radical scavenging activity and inhibition of lipid peroxidation. The in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of AKP and HA was studied in carrageenan-induced hind paw biphasic edema in C57BL/6 mice (at 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg BW). The percentage extraction yield of AKP was two folds higher than HA implying that the phytoconstituents in AKP were diluted by a factor of 0.5. The total polyphenol content of HA was (3.8 times) higher than AKP and the antioxidant activity of HA was also higher compared to AKP. Both the extracts, however, showed significant (p

This present work reports an ecofriendly approach for the synthesis of spherical gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) using aqueous leaf extract of Terminalia arjuna . T. arjuna contains arjunetin, leucoanthocyanidins and hydrolyzable tannins, which are found to be responsible for the bio-reduction of Au NPs. The formed Au NPs were characterized by UV–vis, FTIR, XRD, AFM and TEM analysis. UV–visible spectra of the aqueous medium containing gold nanoparticles showed a surface plasmon resonance peak at 530 nm. FT-IR analysis was performed to analyze the biomolecules responsible for the reduction of Au NPs. XRD results confirmed the presence of gold nanoparticles with face centered cubic structure. The calculated crystallite sizes are in the range of 20 to 50 nm and the spherical nature of the Au NPs was ascertained by transmission electron microscopy. The efficacy of the synthesized Au NPs was tested for the mitotic cell division and pollen germination. It is suggested that Au NPs induces the mitotic cell division and pollen germination. There was no cytotoxic effect of Allium cepa root tip cells and Gloriosa superba pollen grains.

Aim of the study Observational study to find out the effects of Terminalia arjuna in patients of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCMP) of idiopathic and ischaemic cause. Material & methods 93 patients with DCMP receiving standard therapy and/or bark extract of T. arjuna 500 mg 8 hourly were enrolled. Three groups as standard therapy (ST, Group 1), T. arjuna therapy (TA, Group 2) & standard therapy plus T. arjuna (ST + TA, Group 3) were formed. The clinical and echocardiographic evaluation data were collected at the baseline and at the end of the study period and compared for improvements in systolic, diastolic and functional parameters. Results At the end of the study period patients of group 3 showed significant improvement in LVEF% (7 ± 1.6, P Conclusion Dilated cardiomyopathy with reduced LVEF due to either idiopathic or ischaemic cause receiving standard therapy with T. arjuna showed significant improvement in left ventricular parameters as well as functional capacity.

Five ursane type triterpene glucosyl esters including a new one, 2alpha,3beta-dihydroxyurs-12,18-dien-28-oic acid 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester (1) were isolated from the bark of Terminalia arjuna, along with two known phenolic compounds. It is the first report of ursane type triterpenoids from this species.

Ancient Indian physicians used the powdered tree bark of Terminalia arjuna Wight & Arn. for alleviating "hritshool" (angina) and other cardiovascular conditions. Its stem bark possesses glycosides, large quantities of flavonoids, tannins and minerals. Flavonoids have been detected to exert antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and lipid lowering effects while glycosides are cardiotonic, thus making Terminalia arjuna unique amongst currently used medicinal plants. In this review an attempt has been made to discuss various aspects of its ethnomedical, pharmacognostical, phytochemical, pharmacological and clinical relevance to cardiovascular conditions. Experimental studies have revealed its bark exerting significant inotropic and hypotensive effect, increasing coronary artery flow and protecting myocardium against ischemic damage. It has also been detected to have mild diuretic, antithrombotic, prostaglandin E(2) enhancing and hypolipidaemic activity. There is ample clinical evidence of its beneficial effect in coronary artery disease alone and along with statin. However, toxicological studies in experimental animals are lacking. Considering its anti-ischemic activity and its potential to correct dyslipidemia, reduce left ventricular mass and increase left ventricular ejection fraction, it is essential to examine the molecular mechanism of its action and its core constituents. Proposition to administer Terminalia arjuna along with statins deserves to be explored in depth for defining its place in the over all management and prevention of coronary artery disease.

Barks extracts of four different trees (Azadirachta indica, Terminalia arjuna, Acacia nilotica, and Eugenia jambolana Lam.) in three different solvents 80% methanol, 80% ethanol, and 80% acetone (solvent:water, 80:20 v/v) were evaluated for their antioxidant activity, total phenolic (TP), and total flavonoids (TF) contents. Antioxidant activity (AA) was determined by measuring reducing power, inhibition of peroxidation using linoleic acid system and 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) scavenging activity. Significant (P methanol > acetone. Good correlation was observed between TP and DPPH scavenging activity among the extracts. A. nilotica bark had the highest amounts of TP, ranging from 9.2 to 16.5 g/100 g, while the highest AA as measurement by inhibition of linoleic acid oxidation is offered by bark from E. jambolana Lam. The same tree showed the highest DPPH scavenging activity and reducing power. The correlation among the results of different antioxidant assays although revealed a strong relationship between some of the assays, however, a number of different methods may be necessary to adequately assess the in vitro antioxidant activity of a specific plant material.

We have characterized and studied the biological functions of a terpenoid derivative in the Indian tropical tasar silkworm, Antheraea mylitta reared on the primary host plant Arjun, Terminalia arjuna . The compound from insect cocoon turned out to be a terpenoid derivative which resembled oleanane type triterpene (Arjunolic acid) present in the host plant. The plant and cocoon compounds were anti-oxidative as determined by bleaching of beta carotene in vitro . UV-exposure is the major form of peroxidative insult encountered by this wild tropical silkworm. The life cycle comprising five larval stages and the cocoon stage lasts for about 30–45 days. Hence the sequestration of antioxidant and UV-protectant molecule from the host plant commands great biological significance.

Recently dyes derived from natural sources have emerged as important alternatives to synthetic dyes. A study was initiated in the year 2000 at the RRL (CSIR), Jorhat to extract dyes from parts of five different plant species indigenous to northeastern India. The colour components responsible for dyeing were isolated and their chemical constituents were established based on chemical and spectroscopic investigations. The principal colour components from the species Morinda angustifolia Roxb., Rubia cordifolia Linn. and Tectona grandis Linn. were found to contain mainly anthraquinone moieties in their molecules. Those from the species Mimusops elengi Linn. and Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.) Wight & Arn. contained flavonoid moieties in their molecules. The absorption of dye (%) on fibres increased with increasing concentrations of dye in the dye-bath. Maximum absorption of dyes on fibres was obtained at 3% concentration of dyes obtained from R. cordfolia (35.350%), M. angustifolia (31.580%) and T. grandis (25.888%) and at 4% concentration of the dyes from M. elengi (31.917%) and T. arjuna (12.246%). The K/S values were found to increase with the increase in concentration of mordants. The colour co-ordinates of dyed samples were found to lie in the yellow-red quadrant of the colour space diagram. The dyes obtained from the native plants may be alternative sources to synthetic dyes for the dyeing of natural silk and cotton.

A rapid, sensitive and reproducible reversed phase high performance liquid chromatographic method with photo diode array detection is described for the simultaneous quantification of major oleane derivatives: arjunic acid ( 4 ), arjunolic acid ( 3 ), arjungenin ( 2 ) and arjunetin ( 1 ) in Terminalia arjuna extract. The method involves the use of a Waters Spherisorb S10 ODS2 column (250×4.6 mm, I.D., 10 μm) and binary gradient mobile phase profile. The various other aspects of analysis viz. Extraction efficiency, peak purity and similarity were validated using a photo diode array detector.

A fraction isolated from Terminalia arjuna was studied for its antimutagenic effect against 4-nitro-o-phenylenediamine (NPD) in TA98, sodium azide in TA100 and 2-aminofluorene (2AF, S9-dependent), a promutagen, in both TA98 and TA 100 tester strains of Salmonella typhimurium using the Ames assay. The fraction inhibited the mutagenicity of 2AF very significantly in both strains while the revertant colonies induced by NPD and sodium azide were reduced moderately. 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, IR and UV-spectroscopic data of the fraction revealed it to be tannin in nature.

The producitity of Terminalia arjuna was investigated under varied plant spacing (10-, 20-, 30-, 40- and 50,000 trees ha −1 ) on a highly alkaline soil site (pH 8.6 to 10.5) in order to maximise biomass production and to assess optimum stocking density. The species showed a very high survival percentage even when planted in high densities. Closely spaced plants were significantly taller than the more widely spaced plants of the same age. Mean stand basal area and volume increased with increase in planting density in the initial years but differences in basal area among 30- to 50,000 trees ha −1 treatments were not significant at the age of three years. The trees at wider spacing had higher individual biomass than those at closer spacing. The study showed that after 4 years an optimum biomass of 22.7 t ha −1 was produced in the 30,000 trees ha −1 treatment. Densities higher than 30,000 trees ha −1 were found to be supra-optimal and resulted in over-crowding. The biomass produced in high density plantation of T. arjuna was found suitable for use in gasifiers.

The effect of orally administered indigenous drugs Terminalia arjuna, T. belerica and T. chebula were investigated on experimental atherosclerosis. Rabbits were fed a cholesterol-rich diet to induce atherosclerosis. The three drugs were fed along with cholesterol. At the end of the experimental period the animals were killed and their plasma and tissue lipid components estimated. Atherosclerotic lesions of the aorta were examined histologically. T. arjuna was found to be the most potent hypolipidemic agent and induced partial inhibition of rabbit atheroma. The results indicate that T. arjuna may play an anti-atherogenic role.

Three plant densities of Terminalia arjuna (10 000, 20 000 and 30 000 plants ha −1 ) established on a sodic wasteland, were evaluated for their biomass production potential, energy content and soil amelioration at Lucknow, India (80°53′ E; 26°45′ N). Height, diameter and biomass production increased significantly ( P −1 energy content at six years. The impact of the plant density on soil properties showed a significant reduction in soil bulk density, whereas the porosity and water holding capacity of the soil increased at the highest density. Soil pH, exchangeable sodium percentage and exchangeable Na + were reduced with the plant age and plant density whereas organic C, K + , Ca ++ and Mg ++ cations increased with plant growth as well as plant density.

The oleanane triterpenes arjunic acid, arjungenin and their glucosides, arjunetin and arjunglucoside II, were isolated from the bark of Terminalia arjuna. Arjungenin and its glucoside exhibited a moderate free radical scavenging activity while all the compounds showed no effect on the superoxide release from PMN cells. Further arjungenin also exhibited greater inhibitory action on the hypochlorous acid production from human neutrophils.

The fuelwood quality of five tree species suitable for afforestation of alkaline soil sites was investigated in relation to tree age for establishing harvest rotation cycles. Prosopis juliflora and Acacia nilotica were found to be the most suitable species for short rotation fuel wood forestry programmes because of their high wood density, biomass yield, low ash and moisture content, and good heat of combustion at the juvenile stage. The performance of other species like Acacia auriculiformis, Terminalia arjuna and Sesbania formosa is discussed.

A new cardenolide, 16,17-dihydroneridienone 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->6)-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside (1), was isolated from the roots of Terminalia arjuna.

Litter production was estimated in 8-year-old tree plantations of Acacia nilotica, Prosopis juliflora, Dalbergia sisso, and Terminalia arjuna planted in a monoculture tree cropping system on sodic soils of Lucknow Division, India. Mean annual litter fall of these trees amounted to 5.9, 7.4, 5.0 and 5.4 t ha−1, respectively. Irrespective of tree species, the leaf litter concentrations of N, K and Ca were greater than those of P and Mg. The concentration of nutrients in leaf tissues was negatively correlated for N and Ca, with the magnitude of leaf fall in D. sissoo, but was positively correlated for Ca and Mg in A. nilotica; no such correlations were found in P. juliflor and T. arjuna. The variations in the concentration of leaf litter nutrient did not appear to be species specific but depended on adverse edaphic properties including the fertility status of sodic soil. A. nilotica and P. juliflora with bimodal patterns of litter fall return greater amounts of nutrients to the soil surface than D. sissoo and T. arjuna which have unimodal patterns of litter fall. The study indicated the potential benefit of a mixed plantation system having variable leaf fall patterns among the planted trees so providing constant litter mulch to help in conserving soil moisture.

Arjunolic acid diglycoside, which we have named arjunolitin, has earlier been reported from Terminalia arjuna . Its structure has now been established as 3- O -β- d -glycopyranosyl 2α,3β-23-tri-hydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid 28- O -β- d -glucopyranoside by chemical and spectral data.

Khulna division of Bangladesh has cool and salubrious climate that favor the growth of diversity of medicinal plants. For the reason that in the south-western part of Bangladesh, in the districts of Khulna, Satkhira and Bagerhat lays the Sundarbans, the beautiful forest. About 33 medicinal plants being used by Khulna division as folk medicines have been identified and documented along with their curative properties for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Use of medicinal plants and cultural ethics are closely linked among the Khulna division and they possessed high conservative and descended through generations. They keep outmost secrecy of the curative properties of the plants in the form of oral and traditional ethics which help in the conservative management of rare and endangered medicinal plant species of the Khulna division. Most of the medicinal plants are herbs followed by shrubs and a few trees available at different seasons of the year. Plant specimens as pointed out by the traditional healers were collected and identified at the Bangladesh National Herbarium. These plant species (with family name given in parenthesis) included Siegesbeckia orientalis (Asteraceae), Terminalia catappa (Combretaceae), Typhonium giganteum (Araceae), Punica granatum (Lythraceae), Bacopa monnieri (Scrophulariaceae), Nymphaea nouchali (Nymphaeaceae), Adiantum capillus-veneris (Pteridaceae), Carica papaya (Caricaceae), Portulaca oleracea (Portulacaceae), Dipterocarpus turbinatus (Dipterocarpaceae), Terminalia belerica (Combretaceae), Rosa damascene (Rosaceae), Cycas rumphii (Cycadaceae), Polygonum minus (Polygonaceae), Terminalia arjuna (Combretaceae), Enydra fluctuans (Asteraceae), Sida cordifolia (Malvaceae), Euphorbia antiquorum (Euphorbiaceae), Nerium indicum (Apocynaceae), Aegle marmelos (Rutaceae), Heritiera fomes (Sterculiaceae), Passiflora coccinea (Passifloraceae), Lepidagathis hyalina (Acanthaceae), Putranjiva roxburghii (Putranjivaceae), Nigella sativa (Ranunculaceae), Corchorus capsularis (Tiliaceae), Setaria italica (Graminaceae), Citrullus vulgaris (Cucurbitaceae), Cicer arietinum (Leguminosae), Mangifera indica (Anacardiaceae), Swertia chirata (Gentianaceae), Zingiber officinale (Zingiberaceae), and Phyllanthus niruri (Euphorbiaceae). These medicinal plants can be sources of further scientific studies towards discovery of newer and more effective drugs. Project support received in part by the Peoples Integrated Alliance and Biogene Life Care.

The bark powder of Terminalia arjuna, an indigenous plant has been found to have antianginal, decongestive and hypolipidemic effect. We planned a study to evaluate the role of T. arjuna in ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) following acute myocardial infarction (AMI). 40 patients with fresh AMI showing IMR were randomly divided into 2 groups of 20 each. They were given placebo or 500 mg of T. arjuna in addition to anti-ischemic treatment. After 1 and 3 months of follow up, patients receiving adjuvant T. arjuna showed significant decrease in IMR, improvement in E/A ratio and considerable reduction in anginal frequency.