Neem for Malaria

Neem is a member of the mahogany family of trees native to the tropical regions of Asia. It is highly regarded in Ayurvedic medicine where all parts of the tree have been used for healing for more than 2,000 years. Today, neem is still used to treat a wide variety of conditions, including malaria. There is scientific evidence to support the use of this herb to counter the pathogens that cause malaria in humans and rodents. Talk to your physician before self-treating any condition with this herb, however, especially if you suspect you have been exposed to malaria.

Botanical Background

In the Indian subcontinent, neem, or Azadirachta indica, is reputed to remedy 40 different diseases and is hailed as "nature's drugstore," "heal all" and the "village pharmacy." Although the tree is considered invasive in some areas, neem is remarkably successful in re-establishing plant life in places severely affected by drought. This is because neem can thrive under extremely harsh conditions that include very hot temperatures, poor soil and a minimum of water.

Chemical Constituents

The chemical composition of neem, according to the "Physicians' Desk Reference for Herbal Medicines," includes limonoids and protolimonoids of the gedunin-group, specifically nimbolin A and B, nimbin and gedunin. The bark and leaves contain various tannins and volatile oils, while the seeds yield a highly oxidized limonoid called azadirachtin.

Biological Effects

The PDR classifies neem as anti-inflammatory and antipyretic, which means it reduces fever. In a study published in the Dec. 24, 2009, issue of the "Nigerian Journal of Physiological Sciences," Ugochukwu B. Anyaehie of the University of Nigeria reviewed the in vitro and in vivo effects of a fractionated neem leaf extract dubbed IRAB, which was previously found more effective than chloroquine, gametocytocidal and schizonticidal against the faliciparium malaria parasite. According to the study author, IRAB provides the additional benefit of inhibiting infected red blood cells from adhering to the endothelium layer of blood vessels.

ACT Strategies

ACT stands for "artemisinin-based combination therapy" as a means of preventing the transmission of Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite that causes malaria in humans. In the March 2, 2010, issue of "Malaria Journal," a team of Italian researchers reported that neem-extracted azadirachtin inhibited the parasite in vitro at low concentrations. This agent also completely blocked the activity of Plasmodium berghei in azadirachtin-treated mice, the parasite species that transmits malaria to rodents. Specifically, the mice infected with P. berghei were given azadirachtin and then exposed to female Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes one hour later. None of the mice or any of the 138 treated mosquitoes that fed on them showed evidence of malaria transmission.

Safety Considerations

The author of the University of Nigeria study states that there are no significant reports of adverse effects or herb-drug interactions associated with IRAB as an anti-malarial agent. Because the safety of neem formulations during pregnancy and lactation is not established, it should be avoided.