What is neem and what is it for?
He neem (Azadirachta indica), also known as neem or neemit is an exotic tree native to southeast asiaespecially from India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, as well as melia or sorrel (Melia sorrel). Both belong to the Meliaceae family and can be found in many city parks and gardens.
The neem tree is considered sacred in the Hindu religion and Ayurveda medicine has been using it since ancient times to alleviate a good number of diseases, especially such as detoxifier and insecticideand for the treatment of leprosy, psoriasis and even tuberculosis.
It’s a wide crown tree and rarely exceeds 30 meters high. It has the compound leaveswith lanceolate leaflets, and white and very fragrant flowersarranged in dense panicles. Its fruits are like olivesfleshy, with a greenish skin that turns yellow when ripe and a yellowish, fibrous and sweet pulp with several seeds – from 2 to 4 – inside.
The seeds are used for medicinal purposes.. In the plantations, up to four thousand seeds are obtained per kilo of fruit. Of them, by first pressing cold or hot -or with solvents-, an oil is obtainedwhich is the form in which neem is commonly found in herbalists and health establishments. organic cosmetics.
Medicinal properties of neem
neem oilsomewhat acrid and golden yellow in color, is used in India for lighting and to make soap, in addition to its great therapeutic qualities.
The seeds are also used as insecticide –in decoction– and in shampoos. They contain essential oil and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
Appliesonly topicallyand stands out for its antimicrobial, antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial virtues. It is also anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and healing.
- Herbalists prescribe the oilto combat skin fungi (such as athlete’s foot), herpes simplex and lice, in this case in the form of shampoo or lotion.
- It is also recommended to reduce inflammation of the insect bites and for the treatment of juvenile acne, rashes, eczema, boils, hives, erysipelas (bacterial skin infection) and other mycoses, such as jock itch, onychomycosis (which affects the nails) or yeast infections.
- The leaves are used as an infusion in insecticidal lotions.
- An extract is obtained from the bark and leaves. used in India in gastrointestinal disorders and gastric ulcers, nausea and vomiting.
How to use
Always in topical useare used the seedsraw and crushed, and the oil that is extracted from them; and the leaves and the bark.
In herbalists neem oil It is found pure or refined, but also as an ingredient in toothpastes, shampoos, gels, soaps, creams and ointments, organic insecticides, etc.
homemade fungicide with neem
This decoction, applied to the skin, can improve fungal infectionssuch as athlete’s foot and juvenile acne.
How is it prepared: Boil two tablespoons of neem bark for 5 minutes, let it rest for another 10 and strain it.
Once the decoction is cold (at room temperature), it can be used to make a foot bath in case of athlete’s foot (two to three baths a day) or soak cotton or a compress with it and apply on acneic skin (twice a day)
Advisor: J Mª Teixé, herbalist from “Manantial de Salud”