Neem

What is neem? Is a fast-growing tree of the mahogany family, valued as a medicinal plant, as a source of organic pesticides, and for its timber. Neem is likely native to the Indian subcontinent and to dry areas throughout South Asia.

Venerating nature has been a part of the Indian ethos and Neem has been among the most venerated trees. Ancient Indian culture has ranked Neem higher than ' Kalpavriksha' – the wish-fulfilling tree of Indian mythology.

The Sanskrit word for neem is ‘Arita,’ which means “complete” or “perfect.” This name reflects the neem tree’s ability to provide a wide range of benefits for health, the environment, and agriculture, truly justifying its name

 The neem tree is considered to be of divine origin. According to Indian mythology, amrita (ambrosia or the elixir of immortality) was being carried to heaven and a few drops of it fell on the Neem tree.

Traditional Uses: In traditional Ayurvedic medicine, people have used the bark, wood, sap, leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, and oils from the neem tree, other names for which include Azadirachta indica and Indian lilac

Health: antioxidant - anti-inflammatory

anti parasite - antidiabetic.

In the past, people have used neem as a natural remedy for various illnesses.

It's contains powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal components, such as azadirachtin (natural insecticide), vitamins C and E, carotenoids, linoleic acid, oleic acid, and nimbidin, which is known to have potent antihistamine and antiseptic properties.

Brain: The antioxidants in neem may have brain-protective properties. Neem may protect against brain damage in stroke sufferers. It may benefit the brain by increasing vitamin C (ascorbic acid) levels and help in the lipid peroxidation process

Hair care: Neem is an excellent herb for treating the scalp and hair. It contains antibacterial characteristics and is great for promoting healthy hair. Neem is an excellent herb for treating the scalp and hair. It contains antibacterial characteristics and is great for promoting healthy hair

Skin: The neem tree is commonly used as a traditional panacea for skin ailments in India. For thousands of years, the neem tree has been used as a shield against both agricultural pests and cutaneous infections or infestations

Other uses: Also it's know as a natural pesticide. 

 

Botanical 

It’s a common roadside and front yard tree bearing medium to dark green leaflets, small, white and sweet-scented flowers and glabrous olive-like fruits. The oil obtained by crushing the dried kernel has a garlic-like odour, and a bitter taste. The neem tree is noted for its drought resistance. Normally it thrives in areas with sub-arid to sub-humid conditions. Neem can grow in many different types of soil, but it thrives best on well drained deep and sandy soils. It is a typical tropical/subtropical tree and exists at annual mean temperatures between 21-32 °C. It can tolerate high to very high temperatures. It does not tolerate temperature below 4°

 

History of Neem

Indian Ayurvedic texts have described the Neem tree by associating its remarkable healing properties from as far back as 5000 BC. Its leaves were first founded at the excavation of Mohanjo-Daro in the era of Australoid and Dravidian (2000 BC).

 

Ayurvedic texts in Sanskrit describes neem as ‘Sarva roga nivarini’ – (the universal healer or curer of all ailments), ‘Arishtha’ (perfect, complete and imperishable) and ‘Nimba’ from the term ‘Nimbati Syasthyamdadati’ which means ‘to give good health’. Even today, rural Indians refer neem as their ‘village pharmacy”. It’s a tree of unbelievable wonders that it is deeply imbued with spiritual meaning. Hindu mythology attributes its curative properties to the fact that a few drops of Amrita (the elixir of immortality, sacred nectar) was dropped or sprinkled by the celestial committee which gave rise to neem tree. There are many stories muttered in the past of Ancient India history that this tree should be of divine origin. 

The Neem tree Azadirachta indica (Syn. Melia azadirachta L. ; Margosa tree; in French – le Margousier) is a tropical evergreen tree native to Indian sub-continent and is also found in other southeast countries.

It’s a common roadside and front yard tree bearing medium to dark green leaflets, small, white and sweet-scented flowers and glabrous olive-like fruits. The oil obtained by crushing the dried kernel has a garlic-like odour, and a bitter taste. The neem tree is noted for its drought resistance. Normally it thrives in areas with sub-arid to sub-humid conditions. Neem can grow in many different types of soil, but it thrives best on well drained deep and sandy soils. It is a typical tropical/subtropical tree and exists at annual mean temperatures between 21-32 °C. It can tolerate high to very high temperatures. It does not tolerate temperature below 4 °C.

 Evergreen Neem

Nature Neem : A well grown neem tree in India

A well grown neem tree in India

Rediscovery of Neem in Modern World

In search of useful plants, especially the herbals, scientists use to explore the inaccessible hot-spots and the reserves of tropical rain forest. But one such plant, Neem, grows abundantly in the front yards and all along the road side throughout south Asia and Africa. This familiarity of neem should have hidden its real wonders until a few scientists took a closer look at this ancient tree of miracles. A series of research is now going on worldwide to discover the hundreds of active compounds it produces and try to determine the role of each of the chemical compound. In recent days, growing interest in organic agriculture has identified the importance of neem. That’s why most of the research studies were oriented in agriculture field.

Beautiful neem tree

Leave from naturel neem tree

Fruit of neem in wonderful tree

Seed from neem

 Neem in Ancient History

Indian Ayurvedic texts have described the Neem tree by associating its remarkable healing properties from as far back as 5000 BC. Its leaves were first founded at the excavation of Mohanjo-Daro in the era of Australoid and Dravidian (2000 BC).

 

Ayurvedic texts in Sanskrit describes neem as ‘Sarva roga nivarini’ – (the universal healer or curer of all ailments), ‘Arishtha’ (perfect, complete and imperishable) and ‘Nimba’ from the term ‘Nimbati Syasthyamdadati’ which means ‘to give good health’.

 Even today, rural Indians refer neem as their ‘village pharmacy”.

 

 It’s a tree of unbelievable wonders that it is deeply imbued with spiritual meaning. Hindu mythology attributes its curative properties to the fact that a few drops of Amrita (the elixir of immortality, sacred nectar) was dropped or sprinkled by the celestial committee which gave rise to neem tree. There are many stories muttered in the past of Ancient India history that this tree should be of divine origin

In Kenya and neighbouring countries in eastern Africa, Neem in Kiswahili language is known as ‘ Mwarunaini ’ meaning the reliever of 40 human disorders

Almost every part of the Neem tree has been documented for some medicinal use. They are: Tonic and anti-periodic (root bark, stem bark, and young fruit), antiseptic and local stimulant (seed, oil, and leaves), stimulant tonic and stomachic (flowers), demulcent tonic (gum), and refreshing, nutrient, and alternative tonic (toddy).

 

Neem bark leaves, and fruits have been used in Ayurvedic medicines for a long time and are described in ancient writing of Sushruta.

Neem is also called 'Arista' in Sanskrit - A word that means 'perfect, complete and imperishable'.

 

The Sanskrit name 'Nimba' comes from the term 'Nimbati Syasthyamdadati' which means 'to give good health'. 'Pinchumada' another name of Neem in Sanskrit means the destroyer of leprosy and healer of skin infections.

 

Its medicinal qualities are outlined in the earliest Sanskrit writings and its uses in Hindu medicine that dates back to very remote times.

Ayurveda is the ancient Indian system of medicine, which emphasizes a holistic approach to human health and well-being. It is described in the Ayurvedic texts as ‘ sarva roga nivarini ’ (a universal reliever of all illness). Neem has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for more than 4,000 years due to its medicinal properties. Records show that the non-edible Neem oil was perhaps the oldest known medicinal oil.

 

Neem is a bio-chemical factory that contains several thousands of chemical constituents that are attributable to its miracles. Of them, the terpenoids are of special importance. More than 70 terpenoids are available in different parts of the neem plants and living tissues

Almost every part of the Neem tree has been documented for some medicinal use. They are: Tonic and anti-periodic (root bark, stem bark, and young fruit), antiseptic and local stimulant (seed, oil, and leaves), stimulant tonic and stomachic (flowers), demulcent tonic (gum), and refreshing, nutrient, and alternative tonic (toddy).

 

The ‘ Upavanavinod ’, an ancient Sanskrit treatise dealing with forestry and agriculture, cites neem as a cure for ailing soils, plants and livestock. Neem cake, the residue from the seeds after oil extraction increases soil fertility.

The ‘ Brihat Samhita ’ of ‘ Varahamihira ’, dated about 6th century AD, contains a chapter of verses on plant medicines. It recommends that the neem tree be planted near dwellings. Smallpox and chicken pox were cured or staved off with the use of neem leaves.

 

Unani scholars knew Neem’s properties beneficial to human health and named it as ‘ Shajar-e-Munarak ’, or the blessed tree. Persian scholars called Neem “Azad dirakht-I-Hind,” meaning the noble or free tree of India

 

 

 

Nature Neem

58-A, Bajanai Madam St

Namakkal 637 001

Tamil Nadu, India