AYURVEDIC PERSPECTIVE ON CARDIAC-TONIC
Strengthens and tones the heart (heart-tonic). Cardiac tonics are used to treat a wide range of heart issues from arrhythmia, to cardiac insufficiency.Symptoms of a weak heart include shortness of breath that is worse with exertion, palpitations & arrhythmia, mental confusion and depression, and cardiac insufficiency.
- Tongue: Pale, soft
- Pulse: Tin, weak, empty
Cardiac tonics work by strengthening and stimulating the heart muscle. Because of the close relationship between the heart and the nervous system, these remedies tend to be
stimulate the nervous system and lift the mind as well.
Many remedies in this class are mildly sweet flowers, such as Hawthorne. Many are positive inotropic - meaning they help heart contractibility and electrical conductance without requiring additional oxygen (acting as the opposite of a calcium channel blocker, or beta blocker). Some contain powerful cardiac glycosides that should be used with caution.
Heart weakness tends to create blood stagnation leading to symptoms associated with heart attack - chest pains, shooting pains down the left arm, shortness or breath, palpitations, and cyanosis (bluish face, tongue, lips, nails), and panic. As such, the ideal cardiac tonic would also address circulatory issues & move blood.
In heart conditions, smaller doses taken frequently are usually more effective than large doses taken infrequently.
Herb Drug Interaction Risk
Caution when taking alongside cardiac pharmaceuticals. Inotropic herbs (that affect heart contractile strength) may interact with digoxin.
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