NEEM Oil & Uses:

        In India, NEEM (Azadiracta indica or Margosa) is a very common tree. It is considered to be the "village pharmacy" and has played a key role in Ayurvedic medicine and agriculture since time immemorial. It is a large evergreen tree growing 10 to 11 meters tall. The leaves are divided into numerous leaflets, each resembling a full-grown leaf. The tree bears small white flowers in auxiliary bunches and 1.5 to 2 cm long green or yellow fruits with a seed in each. There's no part of the tree that isn't useful. And it has a lot more than just medicinal properties, covering everything from the roots holding the water in the soil to the shade it gives. The seeds contain substantial amount of essential oil (up to 40%) known as NEEM oil. The bitter constituents separated from this oil are nimbin, nimbinin, nimbicidine, azadiractin, salanin, etc. NEEM has so many characteristics that it's not only useful for healing the earth as well as using all these products to help heal us. This is just a partial quick overview of some of the uses of NEEM,

        Healing power and curative properties:

        NEEM tree is generally considered to be an air purifier and a preventive against malarial fever and cholera. All parts of the tree possess medicinal properties. The leaves are useful in relieving flatulence, promoting the removal of catarrhal matter and phlegm from the bronchial tubes, and in increasing secretion and discharge of urine. They also act as an insecticide. The bark is a bitter tonic and stimulant. It arrests secretions and bleeding besides counter-acting any spasmodic disorders. The root bark has the same properties as the bark of the trunk. The gum discharged by the stem is a stimulant and tonic with a soothing effect on the skin and mucous membranes.

        Malaria:
        An infusion or a decoction of the fresh leaves is a bitter vegetable tonic and alternative, especially in chronic malarial fevers because of its action on the liver. It should be taken in doses of 15 to 50 grams.

        Piles:
        The use of 3 grams of the inner bark of NEEM with 6 grams of jaggery every morning, is very effective in piles. To check bleeding piles, 3 to 4 NEEM fruits can be administered with water.

        Leprosy:
        The sap of the NEEM tree has been found to be effective in leprosy, when taken in daily doses of 50-60 grams. Simultaneously, the patient's body should be massaged with the sap. This regimen should be continued for about 4-6 weeks. If the sap is not available, 12 grams of NEEM leaves and 3 decigrams of pepper can be ground in water and taken.

        Skin disorders:
        The leaves, applied externally, are very useful in skin diseases. They are especially beneficial in the treatment of boils, chronic ulcers, eruptions of smallpox, syphilitic sores, glandular swellings and wounds, they can be used either as a poultice, decoction or liniment. An ointment prepared from NEEM leaves is also very effective in healing ulcers and wounds. This ointment is prepared by frying 50 grams of leaves in 50 grams of pure ghee and mashing the mixture thoroughly in the same ghee till an ointment consistency is obtained. A paste prepared from the bark by rubbing it in water can also be applied on wounds.

        Hair disorders:
        If there is any hair loss or it has ceased to grow, washing with the decoction of NEEM leaves helps. This will not only stop hair from falling but also help their growth. Frequent application of NEEM oil also destroys insects in the hair. It also helps in premature graying of hairs.

        Eye diseases:
        NEEM is very useful in eye diseases. Application of the juice of NEEM leaves to the eyes every night is highly effective in the treatment of night blindness! The leaves should be pounded and made into a thin paste with water. The juice should then be pressed out through a clean piece of cloth and applied to the eyes with an eye rod. The juice obtained by rubbing a few NEEM leaves with a little water and stained through a clean piece of cloth is useful in pain in the eyes caused by conjunctivitis. It is warmed, and a few drops put into the ear opposite the ailing eye, to give relief. Eyes are cured after a few applications.

        Ear ailments:
        Steam fomentation with NEEM decoction provides immediate comfort in cases of earache. A handful of NEEM leaves should be boiled in a liter of water and the ear fomented with the steam thus produced, The juice of NEEM leaves mixed with an equal quantity of pure honey is an effective remedy for any boils in the ear. The juice is to be warmed a little and a few drops fused in the ear. Regular application for a few days will provide relief from such ailments. In case of an insect fluxing in the ear, the juice of NEEM leaves, with some common salt, is warmed and a few drops injected in the ear, kills the insect. Two drops of lukewarm NEEM oil put in the ear twice a day can cure deafness!

        Oral disorders:
        Cleaning the teeth regularly with a NEEM twig prevents gum diseases. It firms up loose teeth, relieves toothache, evacuates the bad odor and protects the mouth from various infections.

        Other Therapeutic Uses:
        It is effectively used against inflammation, arthritis, for fevers, malaria, anti-microbial, whi1000 milligrams per kilogram, needed to produce anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anti-pyretic activity had no adverse effects in the gastric of rats. This is what's unique about NEEM. It is actually as effective as phenylbutazone as an anti-inflammatory and it does not adversely affect the stomach. As a matter of fact, it helps the stomach in many ways.

        Diabetes:
        Diabetes is an incurable, chronic metabolic disorder that develops when the pancreas can no longer produce sufficient insulin. Blood sugar levels rapidly elevate yet the body is unable to use the energy contained in the sugar leading to weakness and eventually unconsciousness. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in people ages 25 to 74, damages nerves, kidneys, the heart and blood vessels and may result in the amputation of limbs. NEEM leaf is a traditional herb for treating diabetes and has been scientifically proven effective in treating and preventing diabetes. Oral doses of NEEM leaf extracts significantly reduced insulin requirements for non-insulin dependent diabetes. NEEM oil has also proven effective and has been able to inhibit increases in blood sugar levels by as much as 45% in test animals. Capsules containing NEEM and a number of other herbs are currently available in many countries for the treatment of diabetes. In tests to verify the effectiveness of the medication, it was found that blood sugar was lowered by over 50% in twenty weeks and maintained thereafter. NEEM leaf extracts have been shown to reduce insulin requirements of diabetics without apparent effect on blood glucose levels. Different studies show insulin requirement reductions of between 20 percent and 50 percent for those who take NEEM leaf capsules. There are even anecdotal reports of diabetics chewing a single dried NEEM leaf daily that have been able to eliminate insulin injections completely. Based on the many studies of NEEM's effects on insulin requirements, the Indian government has approved the sale by pharmaceutical companies of NEEM tablets for diabetics. Currently there are at least 3 companies selling these NEEM capsules in a big way!

        Insulin is not a great answer for diabetes. But for some people, it's the only answer. But if you could get their body to a place they needed less and less of it, which would be wonderful. And there are actually people that go from a little bit of insulin down to none with the NEEM administration. A remarkable number of insulin-dependent diabetics were able to reduce their insulin from thirty to fifty percent when treated with NEEM leaf extract and NEEM oil! That is significant because the less you have to take insulin, the better off you are. And there are patients that have been on oral diabetic agents taking their own blood sugars, take the NEEM capsule extract and find their blood sugars are normalizing and they don't really need to take their medicines. Using the NEEM oil, they were able to lower fasting blood sugar twenty-six percent, which is pretty significant. The general impression is that maybe it enhances insulin receptor sensitivity since it seems to work well on Type II diabetics. And that's basically what Type II diabetes is.

        NEEM oil is a vaginal contraceptive.
        It's very effective as a topical drug for preventing pregnancy, used topically in the vagina. By using NEEM vaginal suppositories before sexual contact, it could very well prevent AIDS as well as prevent pregnancy, not to mention gonorrhea, trichomonas, chlamydia and whatever else might be in there. NEEM is very useful at the time of child-birth. Administration of the juice of NEEM leaves to the woman in labor before the child-birth produces normal contraction in the uterus and prevents possible inflammation. It corrects bowel movements and checks onset of fevers, thereby facilitating the normal delivery. The use of a tepid decoction of NEEM leaves as a vaginal douche heals any wounds caused during delivery and disinfects the vaginal passage.

        Insectacide:
        NEEM is a very powerful insecticide to kill soil nematodes and other plant parasites and is also useful as a mosquito repellant for domestic applications!

        Ranjan Mogre
        Tel +91-22-6186258
        email mogre@vsnl.com
        Hope this is helpful, and a place to start.
        Have a great week!