Unveiling the Healing Powers of Neem: Nature's Versatile Remedy

Doesn't nature help us? Bacteria, viruses, or fungi spread in the air faster than humans and infect. But thank God! He has made such plants, which give protection against microbes. One of them is Neem tree!

  The scientific name of neem is Azadirachta indica, commonly known as neem, margosa, nim tree or Indian lilac. It is native to parts of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, but is naturalized and grown in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide. Neem tree is known for its drought resistance.

In India, the tree is known by various nicknames such as "sacred tree," "panacea," "nature's medicine shop," "village medicine" and "aksir cure for all diseases." In the southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in the Hindu tradition, the Amman festivals fall during the summer season. There is a good reason to celebrate festivals in the summer months (during the summer season) because certain heat-related diseases such as measles, smallpox, chickenpox, mumps, and mumps are fast-spreading and very common. To prevent these contagious and non-contagious diseases, people started celebrating this festival of neem leaves and neem bark. People do not know the fact that neem leaves have antiseptic, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties, they believe that it is God's prasad and therefore they worship God using neem leaves and turmeric powder.

It is also believed that the neem leaf wrap is effective for treating chickenpox and measles; the leaves can also be rubbed lightly on the body as an attempt to speed healing. This traditional treatment is still used in rural areas of India.

Neem contains Terpenoid, Limonoid, Tetranoterpenoid, etc alkaloids, which are bitter in taste. In addition there are two dozen other chemicals like Nimbin, Salanin, Gedunin, Azadiracnik, Tannin etc. Almost all of them are insecticides and fungicides.

Pakistani scientist Salimuzzaman Siddiqui (later) was the first scientist to bring the tree to the attention of a pytho-pharmacologist. In 1942 (Pakistan became independent of India in 1947) while working at the Scientific and Industrial Research Laboratory at the University of Delhi, India, he prepared three bitter formulations from neem oil, which he named Nimbin, Nimbinin, and Nimbidin, respectively. [1] The seeds contain a complex secondary digestive pesticide.

Nimbin:

   Azadirachtin:

 

Azarirachtin:

 

Usage of neem:

• All parts of the tree (seeds, leaves, flowers and bark) are used in preparing many different          medical medicines.
• Part of the neem tree can also be used as a spermicide.
• Neem oil is used in the preparation of cosmetics (soaps, shampoos, balms and creams, for example ways soap) and in skin care such as acne treatment, and is useful for maintaining the elasticity of the skin. Neem oil is known to be an effective mosquito repellent.
• Neem products render it inefficient by affecting about 500 microbes in the world, including insects, microbes, and worms, in their symptoms and functions. Usually neem does not immediately destroy the organism, but removes it and prevents its development. Since neem products are inexpensive and non-toxic to large animals and dangerous insects, they are convenient for pest control in rural areas.
• Keeping aside its use in traditional Indian medicine, the neem tree is of great importance as a deterrent to desertification and a potential good carbon dioxide emitter.
• Traditional Indian medicine practitioners recommend sleeping on neem leaves to patients suffering from chickenpox.
• Neem glue is used as a resistance agent and to prepare special purpose diets (for diabetics).
• Neem leaf extract has demonstrated potentially meaningful diabetes resistance.
Traditionally, thin twigs of neem are chewed to clean one's teeth. Small neem twigs are still collected and sold in the market for this use, and young people are often seen chewing neem twigs in the streets of India.
As a traditional Indian medicine, a decoction prepared from neem leaves is consumed to relieve fever.
• Ointment of neem leaves is applied on the skin to treat acne.
Neem flowers are used to make Ugadi pachadi in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. Indeed, "Bevina Huvina Gozu" (a type of curry made from neem flowers) is common in Karnataka throughout the year. Dried flowers are used when fresh flowers are not available.
• A mixture of neem flowers and bella (jaggery or unrefined black sugar) is prepared and given to friends and families as a mark of the bitter and sweet events of the New Year.
Neem extract is considered a panacea for the treatment of malaria although no conclusive Tstudies are available yet.

Reference:

1. Ganguly, Sh. (2002) Neem: A Therapeutic for All Seasons. Current science. 82 (11) June. p. 1304.