By the United Nations, Neem tree has been declared the “Tree of the 21st century”. In some area of the world, It is referred to as “The Village Pharmacy“. It is an evergreen medicinal plant, 10-20 meter high with a straight trunk and long spreading branches. Azadirachta indica Juss is the botanical name of Neem.
Family: Meliaceae.
They are habituated in Southeast Asia, India, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Srilanka, Japan, tropical regions of Australia and Africa.
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Medicinal benefits of Neem
Neem tree is called mysterious plant because it can capable of treating multiple diseases. Each part of the plant has some medicinal actions. Over 135 chemical compounds has been found from a neem tree. It has Anti-inflammatory, Antipyretic, Hypoglycemic, Anti-arthritic, Antigastric ulcer, Antifungal, Diuretic, Antibacterial, Antimalarial, Anti-viral, Antitumor, Immunomodulatory action.
However, the medicinal uses of neem describe below:
1. To treat various skin disorders
Skin is the largest organ of human body. It is the first line defense of a human. It can protect our internal organ from various health hazard.
- The leaves of the neem contain Nimbin, Nimbidin, Gedunin, Quercetin etc. which have anti-microbial activity. Thus, if you have acne, skin pigmentation from acne, wrinkles, and other skin infections, you can get remedy from them by using neem leaves.
- It acts as a natural skin toner that helps to maintain your skin tone.
- As a natural moisturizing agent, it moisturizing your skin and helps to keep the skin supple and soft.
- Neem leaves use to treat Leucoderma, also called vitiligo. Leucoderma is a rare skin disease characterized by white patches and spots. The white spot or patch is called leucoderma and it is called Vitiligo when it occurs without any preceding disease.
Ways to use:
Method 1: Take some fresh and mature neem leaves into a small vessel with pure water, then boil those leaves till the pure water turns to light green. Now, wash your face with this water to get remedy from different skin problems. Besides, add this light greenish water to your bath water to keep safe your skin.
Method 2: Take some fresh and mature leaves, paste them and apply on your affected area of the body.
Method 3: Take fresh and mature leaves, seed of Psoralea corylifolia and Cicer arietinum, then paste them and use on the affected area to cure Leucoderma.
2. To Prevent Oral problems
It is the most ancient medicinal use of Neem. A mature twig contains Nimbin, Nimbidin, Nimbidol, Gedunin etc. and these chemical constituents have antimicrobial activity. If you use the neem twigs as a toothbrush without any toothpaste, it helps to prevent various gum disease, mouth ulcers, bad breath and toothache. It also helps to get powerful and whiter teeth.
Way to use:
Take 6 inches, medium-sized twig. Then chew at one end of the twig to make it a brush. Now, use this brush to clean your teeth and then rinse your mouth with water.
3. To treat Hair fall, Dandruff, and Dry scalp
Neem leaves are used to treat dry scalp, dandruff and hair fall as it has anti-bacterial properties.
Way to use:
Take some fresh and mature leaves into a small vessel with pure water, then boil those leaves till the pure water turns to light green. After shampooing, use this water to rinse your hair.
4. Use to treat intestinal Helminthiasis
It is used to treat intestinal Helminthiasis also known as worm infection.
Way to use:
Take a small piece of bark of neem root and chew it with small amount of table salt (NaCl)
5. To prevent Malaria
The Neem fruit contains Gedunin. Gedunin has an anti-malarial activity. Therefore, it can treat malaria.
6. To relieve fungal infection
Neem leaves and oil has a powerful capability to relieve ringworm infection, athlete’s foot, or any other fungal infection because it contains Nimbin, Nimbidin, and Gedunin and they have antifungal activity.
Way to use:
Take few drops of neem oil and then apply on the infected area thrice a day to get effective results. Alternatively, use the paste of leaves on the affected area to relieve and prevent fungal infections.
7. To prevent viral diseases
Neem leaves have anti-viral properties. Thus it is useful to treat hepatitis, chicken pox, and smallpox, tuberculosis.
Way to use
Method 1. Take some neem leave into a small vessel with pure water, then boil those leave till the pure water turns to light green. Now, wash your affected body. Besides, add this light greenish water to your bath water to keep safe your whole skin.
Method 2: Take few fresh and mature leaves and turmeric, paste them and apply it on your affected body in case of chicken pox, and smallpox for external use.
8. To prevent insect bite
Neem leaves contain Salannin, Azadirachtin, Quercetin etc. Azadirachtin has insect repellent activity and Quercetin has anti-protozoal activity. Thus, you can use neem leaves to get rid of the mosquito bite and other insect bites. According to a report that revealed in Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association, the mixture of coconut oil and neem oil (1:1), when applying over the skin, it repellent mosquitoes.
Way to use:
Take one teaspoon neem oil and one teaspoon coconut oil, mix them properly and then apply the mixture on your skin to prevent mosquito bite.
9. To treat Cancer
It has been used successfully to reduce tumors for hundreds of years. Recent studies show that it has the capability to treat cancer. A cancer-curing mechanism is :
10. To treat Arthritis
It is very useful to treat muscle aches and joint pain, osteoarthritis and lower back pain.
Way to use:
Take few drops of neem oil and apply on the desired area of your body.
11. To treat Diabetes
Chewing of neem leaves on empty stomach each morning can cure diabetics. Also, it help to reduce the blood glucose level.
Way to use:
One tablespoon (5ml) of leaf juice on an empty stomach each morning for three months or chew ten Neem leaves daily in the morning.
12. Inhibits the damaging effects of free radicals
It inhibits the damaging effects of free radicals because it contains antioxidant. Neem seed extract has antioxidant activity which has been demonstrated during horse- grain germination in vivo.
13. It can treat peptic ulcer.
14. Neem (Azadirachta indica Juss) leaves Inhibits the dengue virus type-2 replication.
15. Other medicinal uses are:
- Neem oil uses in the production of stearic acid and oleic acid,
- Neem oil uses in the production soap making
- As Spermicidal neem oil use sometimes.