The neem tree is an evergreen that is well known in its native India and many other tropical countries. Because of the medicinal uses for the different parts of the tree, people in India call it "the village pharmacy." You can purchase neem oil products for skin care, hair care, oral hygiene and organic gardening uses.
History
The neem tree originated in India and spread throughout south and southeast Asia and into Africa. When indentured laborers migrated to the Caribbean, they took the neem plant with them. You can find this tree in South America, the Middle East, Australia, and even the Florida and Hawaii in the U.S. Those living in Europe and the United States were not very familiar with this plant until the European Patent Office ruled for India in 1995 in a patent case involving using neem oil as an antifungal product, which pitted the United States and W.R. Grace against India.
Features
The neem tree grows in very hot weather conditions without needing much water or water of high quality, making it ideal for growing in wastelands. This makes it useful for shade provision, as a carbon sink, and as an anti-erosion measure. It can even help to stop the spread of desertification.
Uses
All of the parts of the neem tree can be used. There are medicinal, cosmetic and agricultural uses for the neem tree. People in India and Africa use the branches as toothbrushes. Ayurvedic medicine makes use of neem leaves and neem oil. The oil also provides protection for crops from pests while not harming beneficial insects such as honeybees.
Research
The neem tree is one of the most researched trees in the world, according to the Neem Foundation, an advocacy organization in Mumbai, India. Scientists in India conducted research beginning in the 1960s to prove the effectiveness of neem in treating conditions such as scabies, eczema and ringworm. Indian scientists have also shown that the neem plant is effective as a mosquito repellent and as an organic pesticide.
Considerations
Women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant should not use neem internally. Neem has an anti-fertility effect, according to a review published February 20, 2002, in the journal Current Science. This review, titled Biological Activities and Medicinal Properties of Neem, states that if you ingest large amounts of neem oil, it can be toxic and cause symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. As one of the compounds found in neem acts like aspirin, small children should not use neem oil since, if ingested in large amounts, it could cause symptoms similar to those found in Reyes Syndrome. The study was led by Kausik Biswas, of the Department of Physiology, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, in Kolkata, India.
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