Nature has blessed us with thousands of medicinal plants and trees. For ages, humans have trusted these trees to secure their health and cure scores of diseases. One such important medicinal plant is Neem tree. The large shady cool and astringent tree is one of the earliest known medicinal trees. It is said that medicinal properties of its leaves, bark, and seeds are well known to the natives of India for over 4,000 years. Due to it's highly effectiveness the tree is also known as "Divine Tree," Life giving tree", "Nature's Drugstore", and "Village Pharmacy."
The tree has enormous medicinal, economical, and environmental benefits. In India, Europe and Japan scientists have found that polysaccharides and limonoids in neem bark, leaves and seed oil can reduce tumors and cancers. Different studies found it effective to cure lymphocytic leukemia, heat rash, boils, wounds, jaundice, leprosy, skin disorders, eczema, stomach ulcers, chicken pox, etc. It is useful for fatigue, cough, fever, loss of appetite, and worm infestation.
All parts of the tree are useful such as antiseptic neem oil have been used in the manufacture of special medicated soaps and toothpastes, emulsions, ointments, poultices, and liniments, as well as cosmetics such as creams, lotions, shampoos, hair tonics, and gargles.
The solid residue left after the oil is removed from the kernels acts as a fertiliser and soil improver. Wood from the trees is good for construction, and fuel.
Complex compounds of neem:
The leaves of the incredible tree are composed of over 100 highly complex bioactive compounds. These compounds are repellent (azadirachtin), anti malarial (gedunin) anti inflammatory (nimbin), antibacterial (nimbidin), and anti pyretic (nimbidol).
A traditional cure for arthritis:
In ayuverdic medicine, Neem has a long history of relieving inflamed joints. The active constituents in its leaves relieve pain and help reducing acute joint swelling. Boil a handful of neem leaves and flowers in 1 cup of water. Strain and allow it to cool. Drink it twice a day for 1 month to reduce arthritis pain and inflammation.
As a pesticide and insecticide:
The tree has extraordinary pest control quality and therefore regarded as the natural pesticide. Neem oil is an effective mosquito repellent. It effectively reduces mosquito bite threat. To use neem as a mosquito repellent, mix 1 to 2 parts of neem oil with 98 to 99 parts of coconut oil. Applied to the body, the mixture repels mosquitoes for up to 12 hours and is especially effective against the malaria type.
Its compounds change an insect's behaviour in ways that the insect can no longer feed or breed or transmute, and can cause no further damage. "One outstanding neem component, azadirachtin, disrupts the metamorphosis of insect larvae. By inhibiting molting, it keeps the larvae from developing into pupae, and they die without producing a new generation. In addition, azadirachtin is frequently so repugnant to insects that scores of different leaf-chewing species - even ones that normally strip everything living from plant will starve to death rather than touch plants that carry traces of it."
Beauty secrets of neem:
For ages Asian women, use neem leaves to beautify their skin and to get rid of germs. Having bath with a decoction of neem leaves keeps the skin healthy and germ free. Adding neem leaves powder or crushed leaves in face mask provides ant-aging benefits. To make neem powder takes the some fresh neem leaves and dried them in sunshade for 2 weeks. Now blend the dried leaves into fine powder.
Their extract heals pimples and acne. Take the fresh neem leaves and make fine paste. Add the 2-3 pinches of turmeric powder to the neem leaves paste. Blend them to smooth paste. Wash the face before applying the face pack. Apply the paste on the face wait for 10-15 minutes then wash with the cold water. This face pack helps to prevent the acne and pimples on the face.
Neem powder and some juicy tomato pulp make an excellent pack to make the skin refreshed and hydrated. It clears pimples and adds a glow on the face.
Boil handful of neem leaves in water. Let it cool then apply after shampoo to cure hair falling. To prevent hair loss and enhance growth, mix a few drops of neem oil with coconut or olive oil and massage into scalp. This will even prevent your hair from graying.
For dental hygiene:
Apply fresh twig of neem tree to keep your gums and teeth healthy. The bark of the neem tree has antiseptic properties, which makes ideal cure for many dental diseases. Tests in Germany have proved that neem extracts prevent tooth decay, as well as both preventing and healing inflammations of the gums. Its pain reliving compounds helps reducing the toothaches.
To reduce the pain and inflammation, put a few drops of neem leaf extract near area of the pain. It is important to use fresh twigs because neem twigs are often contaminated with fungi within 2 weeks of harvest and should be avoided.
Precautions:
-- Long-term use may be injurious to kidney and liver.
-- Neem oil and neem seeds are unsafe for children and cause vomiting, diarrhea, drowsiness, blood disorders, seizures, loss of consciousness, coma, and brain disorders.
-- Intake of neem oil or seeds can cause miscarriage and abortion.
There is some evidence that neem can lower blood sugar levels and might cause blood sugar to go too low. If you have diabetes and use neem, monitor your blood sugar carefully. It might be necessary to change the dose of your diabetes medication.
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