Neem, or Azadirachta indica, is a tree native to southeast Asia that can grow up to 100 feet tall and 50 feet wide. All parts of the neem tree have been used for centuries for their medicinal properties, but the leaves have been found to be especially beneficial, according to the March 2005 issue of Current Medicinal Chemistry Anti-cancer Agents.
Antidiabetic Benefits
Neem leaf extract has been found to have positive effects on blood sugar levels, according to researchers at the University of Pune, India. While studying several different plant compounds in treating diabetes, they found that neem leaf extract was able to renew the cells that are responsible for producing insulin, which raises the level of insulin in the bloodstream and has antidiabetic effects. As published in the April 2009 issue of Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, researchers concluded that neem should be considered as a possible treatment for diabetes.
Antibacterial Benefits
Enterococcus faecalis is a strain of bacteria that commonly causes infections in the urinary tract, as well as in the intestines and on skin wounds, according to a report from the University of Maryland. One of the uses of neem leaf in Ayurvedic or Indian traditional medicine was to treat urinary tract infections. When researchers at R. D. University in Jabalpur, India tested several plants used in traditional medicine against bacteria that causes UTIs, they found that neem extract was particularly potent against Enterococcus faecalis. The results of the study, published in the March 2009 issue of Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, validates neem's use in folklore as an antibacterial agent against UTIs.
Anticancer Benefits
Neem extract has been found to protect the body from various forms of cancer, including prostate and cervical cancer. The National Cancer Institute reports that prostate cancer is the most common cancer found in American men. Neem leaf extract has the ability to initiate cell death of prostate cancer cells, according to a study published in the April 21, 2006 issue of the Journal of Ethnopharmacology. Researchers at Annamalai University in India tested neem extract against cervical cancer cells, and once again it proved to be toxic against the cancer cells by causing cell death, according to the results of the study published in the June 2010 issue of Free Radical Research.
Pesticide Benefits
Bactrocera is a type of fruit fly that comprises more than 500 species. Most of the species are found in Asia, the South Pacific, Australia, Europe, Africa and South America, but there are at least 53 species that are of concern to the United States as well, according to a report from the United States Department of Agriculture. The flies can be highly invasive and are considered pests to both humans and fruit production. Neem leaf dust is a powder that has been developed as a natural alternative to harsh chemical pesticides. Researchers at the Atomic Energy Research Establishment in Bangladesh tested the effects of neem leaf dust against the Bactrocera species and found that it is a safe alternative pesticide. The results of the study, published in the Oct. 15, 2007 issue of Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences, explain that neem leaf powder is effective as a pesticide by blocking the development of ovaries in the female fly, which hinders reproductive ability.
References
- University of Oklahoma: Plant of the Week: Azadirachta indica - Neem Tree
- PubMed: Current Medicinal Chemistry: Anticancer Agents: Medicinal Properties of Neem Leaves
- PubMed: Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Antidiabetic Properties of Azardiracta indica
- University of Maryland: Enterococcus Summary
- PubMed: Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences: Antibacterial Activity of Medicinal Plants Against Pathogens causing Complicated Urinary Tract Infections
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