Margosa Tree

Sanskrit Name:

Nimba: which nourishes health in the body

Pichumarda: which alleviates all skin diseases

Arishta: Which never harms the body

Hingu Niryasa: As its exudates are similar to Hinga (Asafetida) in consistency

Lt. Name:

Bio energetics: secret

Rasa (Taste) – Tikta (Bitter); Kashaya (Astringent)

Guna (Characteristics) – Laghu (Light)

Veerya (Potency) – Sheeta (Cold)

Chemical composition:

More than 135 compounds have been isolated from different parts of neem and several reviews have also been published on the chemistry and structural diversity of these compounds. The compounds have been divided into two major classes: isoprenoids (like diterpenoids and triterpenoids containing protomeliacins, limonoids, azadirone and its derivatives, gedunin and its derivatives, vilasinin type of compounds and C- secomeliacins such as nimbin, salanin and azadirachtin ) and non-isoprenoids, which are proteins (amino acids) and carbohydrates (polysaccharides), sulphurous compounds, polyphenolics such as flavonoids and their glycosides, dihydrochalcone, coumarin and tannins, aliphatic compounds, etc.

Effect on Tridosha (Three bio humors):

Actions according to Ayurveda:

• Grahi: Neem is useful in diarrhea and frequent passage of stool.
  
• Agnikrut: Neem ignites the digestive fire in stomach.
  
• Netryam: Neem improves vision (eye sight) of a fellow.
  
• Kushthanut: Neem is useful in all skin diseases
  
• Bhedanam: Neem loosens the impacted and solidified stool in rectum
  
• Mehanut: Neem is useful in all metabolic disorders including Diabetes mellitus
  
• Hrudyam: Neem is a cardiac rejuvenating herb
  
• Vranaghna: Neem is one of the best Ayurveda herbs which promote healing of wounds. 
  

Medicinal value:

• National Research Council (NRC), Washington, USA, has released a report with title as " Neem: Tree for Solving Global Problems.” The NRC Panel considers the Neem to be “one of the most promising of all plants and the fact that it may eventually benefit every person on this planet. Probably no other plant yields as many strange and varied products or has as many exploitable by-products. "
  
• The chloroform extract of stem bark is effective against carrageenin-induced paw oedema in rat and mouse ear inflammation.
  
• The plant also possesses analgesic activity mediated through opioid receptors in laboratory animals.
  
• Neem extracts possess anti-diabetic, antibacterial and anti-viral properties. The tree stem, root and bark possess astringent, tonic and anti-periodic properties. The bark is beneficial in malarial fever and useful in cutaneous diseases.
  
• It is used for external applications in skin diseases. It possesses antidandruff, antibacterial, anti viral and fungicidal properties.
  
• Neem aqueous leaf extract significantly (P<0.05) prevented changes in the serum levels of bilirubin, protein, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase. Similarly it significantly prevented the histological changes as compared to the group receiving antitubercular drugs. It also significantly reversed the biochemical and histological changes. So Neem aqueous leaf extract significantly prevents and reverses the hepatotoxic damage induced by antitubercular drugs in rats.
  
• EFFECT OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF AZADIRACHTA INDICA LEAVES ON HEPATOTOXICITY INDUCED BY ANTITUBERCULAR DRUGS IN RATS B.P. KALE, M.A. KOTHEKAR, H.P. TAYADE, J.B. JAJU, M. MATEENUDDIN
• A crude extract of the leaves was studied for its effects on the cardiovascualar system of anesthetized guinea pigs and rabbits. The extract (200mg/kg) decreased the heart-rate of the rabbit from 280 to 150 beats/ min. It also exhibited a weak anti-arrhythmic activity in rabbit against ouabain-induced dysrhythmia.
  
• Mitra, C R, 64, 96; Tyagi et. al., Nagarjun 1977-78, 21(4), 5; Basu, J Bombay nat Hist Soc, 1955-56, 53, 743; Rao et. al., Indian J med Res, 1969, 57, 495; Joshi & Magar, J sci industr Res, 1952, 11B, 261; Banerjee & Sanyal, Proc Indian Sci Congr, 1956, pt. III, 348; Shrivastava & Singh, Indian Drugs, 1981-82, 19, 245; Dictionary org Compds, V, 688; Thompson & Anderson, J pharm Sci, 1978, 67, 1467.
• The leaves are reported to possess antifertility properties. The powder of the leaves at the dose level of 20mg, 40mg and 60mg/rat/day for 24 days exhibited spermicidal activity. The leaves are said to be used as an anthelmintic. The aqueous extract of leaves exhibited anti-ulcer and anti-inflammatory activity. The water soluble portion of the alcoholic extract of the leaves was found to possess a significant blood sugar lowering effect in glucose-fed and adrenaline-induced hyperglycemic rats but failed to show such effect in normal and streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. The freshly prepared leaf extract at low doses (10, 20, 50, 100 and 200mg/kg) produced a significant anti-anxiety effect whereas at higher doses (400mg and 800mg/kg) it did not show the activity. The acetone extract of leaves exhibited CNS depression, a reduction of blood pressure as well as heart rate without showing diuretic activity.
  
• Qamaret.al., Pakist J Industr Res, 1989, 32, 600; Vedavathy et. al., Int J Pharmacogn 1991, 29, 113; Bhattarai, ibid, 1992, 30, 145; Shaikh, Curr Sci, 1993, 64, 688; Garg, et. al., Planta Med, 1993, 59, 215 Alam et. al., Fitoterapia, 1990, 61, 240; Chattopadhyay & Maitra, ibid, 1993, 64, 332; El-Hawary & Kholief, Arch Pharm Res, 1990, 13, 108; Handa, 1992, 63, 3; Jaiswal et. al., Indian J. Exp Biol, 1994, 32, 484; Chattopadhyayet. al., ibid, 1992, 738; Singh et. al., ibid, 1990, 61, 164.
• Laboratory trials on rats have shown that the oil from the seed kernal and nimbidol in a dose of 8mg/kg body wt possess anti-arthritic action.
  
• Dastur, Useful Plants, 40; Mitra, Indian Oilseeds J, 1956-57, 1, 256;Information from Dr C R Mitra, NBRI, Lucknow; Shankaranarayanan & Sirsi, Indian J Pharm, 1961, 23, 53. 

Useful part:

Doses:

Some combinations with Neem: