A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE CARDIOPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF ARJUNA ARISHTA AND ARJUNA GHRITA: TWO CONVENTIONAL AYURVEDIC FORMULATIONS CONTAINING TERMINALIA ARJUNA

In the present study, two Ayurvedic formulations, Arjuna arishta (Partha arishta), Arjuna ghrita were prepared as per traditional Ayurvedic methods and their cardioprotective effect was evaluated on healthy young adult male Wistar rats.Initially, the acute toxicity of prepared formulations was evaluated with three doses -50 mg.kg -1 , 300 mg.kg -1 and 2000 mg.kg -1 .The cardioprotective effect was evaluated on animals with Isoproterenol induced Myocardial infarction and Digoxin induced arrhythmia.Quercetin treated animal group was used for comparative evaluation.At the end of 15 days long study, blood was collected, processed and utilized for the evaluation of biochemical parameters.Histopathological analysis of heart cells was done to observe the physiological alterations.The results of acute toxicity study of prepared formulations Arjuna arishta and ghrita showed zero percent mortality up to the final dose of 2000 mg.kg -1 .Analysis of biochemical parameters and histopathological evaluation strongly supports the cardioprotective effect of formulations, importantly, the Arjuna ghrita revealed more significant results comparing with Partha arishta.The outcome of this study is beneficial and further studies are needed to find out the effects of long-term use of these formulations.