Terminalia arjuna / Kumbuk / White murdha / කුඹුක් /மருது/ अर्जुन

Mane of the medicinal plant : Terminalia arjuna
Family name: Combretaceae

English Name:  White Marudah /Arjun Tree/ Arjunolic Myrobalan
Sinhala name:  Kumbuk / කුඹුක්
Sanskrit Name:  Indradruma, Arjuna, Dhanvi,  Kakubha, Karvirak.
Hindi & Bengali Name-Arjun –  अर्जुन
Manipuri name : Maiyokpha – মাঈযোকফা
Telugu Name : Tella Maddi
Marathi- Sadaru,
Gujarati Name: Sadado
Tamil Name :Poomarudhu, Neermarudhu / Belma/Marudam patti / Marutu – மருது
Malayalam name : Adamboe, Chola venmaruthu, Poomaruthu, Manimaruthu, Neermaruthu
Kannada Name ; Neer matti, Holemaththi, Holedaasaala
Tamil name: marutu, maruthu




Synonyms : Arjuna, Anjani , Dhananjaya, Davi, Kiriti, Pandava, Vira, Palguna
   Dhavala : the external layer of bark is white in color
   Indradru : it is a big tree
   Nadisarja : Usually found in the river banks
   Phalguna, Kakubha, Virarksha, Partha, Dhoorta Bhuruha, Shvetavaaha, Nadi
   Sarja, Dhananjaya, Veerantaka, Kireeti, Pandava, Veeravruksha

Kumbuk flower

Morphology : White Marudah is a very large tree. It is is about 20–25 meters tall and Its mostly growing near the water stream in wet soil condition. Arjuna with a buttressed, spreading base and horizontal spreading branches. Barks are Pinkish yellow and smooth. Leaves are simple, opposite or sub opposite without stipules and 7.5cm to 15cm long, 4 -7 cm broad, oblong or oval shape. rounded at both, glabrous but not both side,pale dull green pellucid and petioles very short. 

Flowers are regular, polygamous, Lessie, greenish-white, axillary or small terminal panic-ales, Lanceolate, 5 sepals. Ovary is inferior 2 or 3 pendulous. Fruits are indehiscent drupe and  3-5 cm long obovate ovoid, narrow at base, fibrous woody, hard ,dark brown and solitary seeds.  

Types : Kalu Kumbuk / Pala Kumbuk / Mal Kumbuk

Distribution: Common on the river banks, found almost throughout Sri Lanka.

Chemical constituents: Terminalia  arjuna- Arachidic stearate, cerasidin, cerasidin, Arjunic Acid, tannins, Arjunone, Arjunetin, Arjunglucosisdes, I & II; Arjunoside I, II&IV;  Arjunolic acid & etc. Bark:  calcium and magnesium salts, flavonoids. Terminalia alata- Gum, Arjunic, & Arjunolic acids, Arjunetin, Betulinic and ellagic acid, tannins etc.(Reference: Illustrated Dravyaguna VIjnana, Vol. II, by Dr JLN Shastry)

Kumbuk dead fruit 

Terminalia arjuna medicinal properties

Rasa (taste): Kashaya (astringent)

Guna (qualities) : Rooksha (dryness), Laghu (lightness)

Vipaka- Katu :Undergoes pungent taste conversion after digestion.

Veerya :Sheeta :cold potency

Prabhava : special effect : Hrudya :cardiac tonic

Effect on Tridosha : Balances Kapha Pitta Dosha.

Part used-Bark

Dosage- Powder 3-6 g; water decoction 50-100 ml, in divided dose per day.

Therapeutic action

Medohara :reduces fat and cholesterol levels

Mehahara :useful in urinary tract disorders and diabetes

Hrudroga : useful in cardiac disorder

Bhagna :quickly heals fracture

Kshata :useful in chest injuries

Kshayahara : useful in chronic respiratory disorders, tuberculosis

Shramahara : Relieves tiredness, fatigue

Trushnahara : Relieves thirst

Asrajit: useful in bleeding disorders

Treatment for:

    Heart diseases

Kumbuk Bark and fruits 

    Fevers

    Skin diseases

    Obesity

    Wounds

    Bone fractures

    Dysentery

    Piles

    Coughs

    Leucorrhoea

    Candida infections

Parts used in treatment :

    Bark

    Leaves

    Roots

    Flowers

    Fruits