Neem Introduction - Neem as a medicine

Neem fruits, seeds, oil, leaves, bark and roots can be used as general antiseptics, anti-microbials, treatment of urinary disorders, diarrhoea, fever and bronchitis, skin diseases, septic sores, infected burns, hypertensions and inflammatory diseases. Neem leaf extracts and teas are reputed to treat malaria. The anti-malarial action is attributed to gedunin, a limonoid. Neem tablets can be used in cases of diabetes mellitus of adults, non-ketonic diabetes, and for cases of insulin fast or insulin sensitivity.

Neem products repel and affect the development of mosquitoes. Two percent neem oil mixed in coconut oil, when applied to the body, provides complete protection for 12 hours from bites of all anophelines. Kerosene lamps containing 0.01-1% neem oil reduce mosquito-biting activity. The sand fly Phleobotumus
argentipes) is also repelled by neem oil, mixed with coconut or mustard oil.

Modern research also confirms neem's curative powers in case of many diseases and provides indications that neem might in future be used much more widely.

Below, the medicinal characteristics of the different components of the neem tree are listed:

Bark
Neem bark is cool, bitter, astringent, acrid and refrigerant. It is useful in tiredness, cough, fever, loss of appetite, worm infestation. It heals the wounds and is also used in vomiting, skin diseases and excessive thirst. 

Leaves
Neem leaves help in the treatment of neuro-muscular pains. Neem leaves are also reported to remove toxins, purify blood and prevent damage caused by free radical in the body by neutralising them. Neem leaves are reported to be beneficial in eye disorders and insect bite poisons. 

Fruits
Neem fruits are bitter, purgative, anti-haemorrhoids and worm destroying in nature. 

Flowers
Neem flowers are used for balancing of the body heat and for preventing cough formation. They are astringent, worm destroying and non-toxic. 

Seeds
Neem seeds are also described as worm-destroying, antileprotic, antipoisonous and bitter in taste. 

Oil
Neem oil derived from crushing the seeds is antidermatonic, a powerful anthelmintic and is bitter in taste. It has a wide spectrum of action and is highly medicinal in nature.

Mixture
Five parts of neem tree i.e. bark, root, fruit, flower and leaves together are used in diseases of blood. It is also used in vitiated conditions of excess heat, itching, wound, burning sensation in body and skin diseases.

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