Neem (Nimba) Azadirachta indica

The tree trunk is used as a lumber to make furniture, leaves, bark, resin (gum), flowers, fruits, and seeds are used for medicinal purposes.

The extracts from bark leaves fruits and seeds are applied topically as antiseptic, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal medicine. It is also natural astringent.
The Neem is used as an internal medicine to lower blood glucose level, treat peptic ulcers, and kill intestinal parasites.

This is one of the large evergreen trees (65' tall, 4' round at the trunk base) grown in India. It may live up to 200 years and grow up to 125 feet tall.

Names

Latin name: Azadirachta indica
English name: Margosa
Sanskrit / Ayurveda name: Nimba
Hindi: Neem

Ayurveda Properties

- Rasa: Bitter Astringent
- Virya: Cooling effect
- Vipaka: Pungent
- Guna: Light
- Dosha: Balances Kapha and Pitta
Bark Rasa is Bitter Astringent, balanced Kapha. The Leaf Rasa is Pungent and Astringent, balances Vata

Usage of tree parts

- Trunk and large branches are used as lumber to manufacture furniture.
The trunk exudes a resin (Neem Gum). The Neem gum is high in protein. It is used as glue as well as in cooking. Neem gum is used in preparing special high protein foods for diabetics.
The bark from the trunk, branches, and stem are bitter. Bark is ground up to form a powder used same and with dried leaf powder
Small twigs are used to brush teeth to prevent gingivitis.
- Mature leaves are used for medicinal purposes. They may be dried and powdered, juice extracted, fresh leaves ground to a paste. New leaves are reddish in color, mild and tender. The new leaves are eaten raw.
- The Flowers are mild. They are used to make pickles curry or soups
- The fruit looks like olives. It contains one to three seeds. The fruit including the seed are pressed to extract 'Neem Oil'. Neem oil is rich in Omega 6, Omega 9, and Vitamin E making it a good moisturizer. Its antibacterial antifungal and antiviral properties are same as Bark and leaves. Additional moisturizing nature makes it ideal for skin-care products specially to treat Acne, Eczema, and Psoriases. Neem oil is also used in making cosmetics, and hair care products. Antifungal properties let u treat Athlete's foot
The oil can also be used post intercourse to kill sperms inside vagina.
The pulp of the fruit makes an excellent organic dye for black Indian hair
- The bark from the roots are ground to prepare a decoction to help relieve fever. The bark from the root has more medicinal value than the bark from the stem

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