Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Potential of Terminalia arjuna L.

Abstract

To cure human diseases, medicinal plants have been a major source of therapeutic agents since ancient time. Terminalia arjuna is one kind of widely used medicinal plant throughout Bangladesh and used in various indigenous system of medicine like Ayurveda, Sidda and Unani. This plant has been reported to contain active constituents including arjunolic acid, gallic acid, terminic acid, pyrocatechols, β-Sitosterol, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper etc. which proved to be effective pharmacological agents as antimicrobial, anticancer, antidiabetic, antiacne, antihelmintic, antiinflammatory, anticholinesterase, antioxidant, antiasthmatic as well as wound healing, cardioprotective and insecticidal activities.It is considered to be an ideal agent for treating cancer, coronary artery disease, hypertension and ischemic cardiomyopathy. The present comprehensive update review is therefore an effort to give detailed information on phytochemical and pharmacological studies of T. arjuna.