What Is a Neem?

The neem tree is highly prized in many countries. The Swahili people of Africa use it to treat 40 different diseases. It is native to India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. Neem also grows in several states in the U.S. Neem products are widely used to treat many internal diseases, skin rashes and dry skin, and is used as an insecticide for plants.

Origins

• Neem is a type of East Indian evergreen tree that is grown in Asia, India, Florida, California, Arizona, the Fiji Islands and many other tropical and semi-tropical countries. The neem tree is a member of the mahogany family. It is used for its timber, bark, resin (sap), as well as for its seed and seed oil. In addition to its use as a building material, the neem tree is valued for its medicinal and insecticidal uses.

Ecology

• Neem can grow as high as 65 feet and as wide as 4 feet. The trunk is straight with a bark that is hard and scaly. Neem has a very long taproot that goes deep into the ground. It is one of the reasons that the neem tree can survive even a major drought. Neem's flowers are white and very fragrant. Its fruit is smooth and similar in appearance to an olive. The pulp is fibrous, yellow-white in color and surrounds a seed pod that has many medicinal uses.
  The neem tree can grow in sub-arid to sub-humid areas. It is able to grow in just about any type of soil but does best in sandy soil with good drainage. Neem can tolerate very high temperatures but does not tolerate freezing temperatures.

Chemical Compounds

• Scientists in Pakistan have extracted three main compounds from the neem oil. They are called nimbin, nimbinin, and nimbidin. The seeds of the neem tree itself contain azadirachtin. Another group of compounds unique to neem are the terpenoids. The kernels, or seeds, contain a compound called triterpenoid, and other various sulfurous compounds. The gum from the neem tree contains several different types of sugars.

Food Product

• Besides the obvious use as a shade tree, neem has many other uses. The fruit of the neem tree has a thin skin and a bittersweet pulp. The flowers and shoots are used as a vegetable product in parts of India. In some South Indian states, the flowers are used to make a soup-like dish called "veppampoo rasam." The bark is used as a pitta pacifier because of its bitter taste. Neem gum is used as a source of protein.

Medicinal Uses

• Neem is used as an antfungal, antibacterial, antifertility, antiviral, antidiabetic and sedative substance throughout the world. All of the different parts of the neem tree are used for medicinal purposes. Some practitioners of Indian medicine believe that chicken pox sufferers can find relief by sleeping on a bed of neem leaves. Neem gum is used both as a bulking agent and as a food additive for diabetics. The oil from the neem seeds is used to treat acne and to keep the skin soft. The small twigs of the neem tree are chewed for their teeth-cleaning ability. Neem is also believed to be very effective in treating scabies, a skin rash caused by mites on the skin.

Insecticide

• Neem is used as an environmentally friendly biopesticide. Products that contain neem do not kill the pests, but instead the neem changes the pests' behavior in such a way that they can no longer breed, feed or undergo metamorphosis. The only pests that are affected by neem products are those that feed on the plant tissues, such as the leaves, sap and wood. It is also used by some farmers as an insecticide against white flies and aphids. Neem oil can also be used to keep plants free of fungal infections like rust and mildew. The oil of the neem tree is effective against fleas in dogs and cats, and to repel mosquitoes and lice on both pets and humans.

Warnings

• Neem oil has a slight garlic odor but is nontoxic to humans and pets. It is highly suggested that pregnant women do not ingest neem products without first contacting their doctor. Although neem oil has not been determined to be harmful to humans, it has not been tested on a developing fetus.

  As with any all-natural product, read the label carefully before using to ensure that no harmful ingredients have been added to the neem product. Also, when ingesting neem products, start with small amounts to determine if there will be any side effects.