Diminishing effect of arjuna tree (Terminalia arjuna) bark on the lipid and oxidative stress status of high fat high cholesterol fed rats and development of certain dietary recipes containing the tree bark for human consumption

It’s a fast changing world of glaring contrasts where development and environmentaldegradation, overfeeding and starvation, occurrence of infectious and life style diseases, takeplace side by side. The modern medicinal system too, is not exception, curing on one handand causing sickness through side effects on the other. Heartrendingly, the jolted humandiscretion has started taking stock of the situation turning to the natural and the indigenous.Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of medicine is abound with information regardingplant parts and products having medicinal properties sans side effects. Arjuna tree’s variousparts, especially the bark, occupy the pride of place in the context of such medicinal values.This study has been undertaken to scientifically evaluate theses effects, specially thebiochemical and nutritional ones. The study encompassed two phases; the first one being thestudy of modulating effect of arjuna bark powder on lipid and oxidative stress status ofalbino rats maintained on high fat and high cholesterol diet; and the second one involvingthe making of food products incorporating arjuna bark as one of the ingredients. Results ofthe present study indicate that arjuna bark acts as a hypolipidemic, hypocholesterolemic andoxidative stress lowering agent. Certain recipes incorporating arjuna bark recorded goodacceptability meriting their inclusion in the daily diet of the people needing long termintervention for elevated lipids, cholesterol and oxidative stress levels.