Assam: Mahanim; Beng: Nim, Nimgach;
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84 Azadirachta indica A. Juss.
Hindi: Nim, Nimba;
Kan: Nimba, Bevu, Oilevevu, Kahibevu, Bevinama; Mal: Veppu, Aryaveppu, Nimbam, Veppa;
Mar: Balantanimba, Limba, Bakayan, Nim, Kadunimb;
Ori: Nimba;
Punj: Nimba, Bakan, Nim;
Tam: Vemmu, Veppu, Arulundi, Veppan; Tel: Vemu, Vepa;
Urdu: Neem.
CONSTITUENTS
Nimba dried leaf:
Triterpenoids and Sterols.
Leaves yielded beta-sitosterol and its beta-d-glu- coside, quercetin, and n-hexacosanol; tetranor- triterpenoids include meldenin diol, vilasinin, nimonol and isomeldenin.
A new isoprenylated flavone, nimbaflavone (for the first time in the Meliaceae family) and a new meliacin 2′, 3′-dehydrosalanol, related to salanin (in addition to known meliacins nimbolide), were isolated. The limonoid azadi- rachtin A was also isolated.20(c)
THERAPEUTIC AND OTHER
ATTRIBUTES
Jvara, Āmaśotha, Vra na, Ku s tha, Prameha, Netraroga, K rmiroga, Vi saroga
Used in fever, acute inflammation, ulcer, obstinate skin diseases, urinary disorders/polyuria, dis- eases of the eye, worm infestations and poison- ing (therapeutic uses based on texts from 1000 bc to sixteenth century).
Leaves: anti-periodic, anti-fungal, antiseptic, anti-viral; applied as a poultice to boils, abscesses, adenitis, eczema and ulcers; hot infusion is anodyne for fomenting bruises, sprains, and swollen glands. Tender leaves with black pepper used for intestinal helminthiasis.
Essential oil: mild fugicidal.15
Leaves used in gingivitis and periodontitis.32
IMPORTANT FORMULATION/
APPLICATIONS
Kasisādi Ghrita (Shārangadhara Samhitā, thirteenth century), contains 32 herbal and mineral drugs, including Nimba leaves, all in equal proportion.
Used for skin diseases, non-healing ulcers and syphilis.
Jātyādi Ghrita (Ashtāngahridaya, seventh century) contains 12 herbal drugs including Nimba leaves and a mineral, blue vitreol, all in equal proportions. Used for non-healing ulcers.
Ārogyavardhini Gutikā (Rasatantra samucchaya), a mercury-based mineral drug, is processed in the juice of Nimba leaves. Used for jaundice, chronic fever, and skin diseases.
Nimbapatrādi upanāha, a poultice of Nimba leaves with supporting herbs, is used for edema and inflammation.
Panchaguna Taila (Siddhayoga Sangraha, non- classical and contemporary) contains Nimba leaf in a medicinal oil, which might have been used rarely for earache, joint pain, and as a disinfectant for ulcers.
DOSAGE/USAGE/CAUTIONS/
COMMENTS
1–3 g of the drug in powder form. 10–20 g of the drug for decoction.
An extract of the leaves (3 g single dose, orally on empty stomach) was found to be effective as an anthelmintic when potent anthelmintics had earlier failed.20(c)
In one study, a Neem leaf lotion (two applications per day for 3–4 days) cured patients of ring- worm and scabies.20(c)
Oral administration of 5 g of an aqueous leaf paste or equivalent amount of dried leaf in a capsule enabled diabetic patients to reduce their dosage of insulin by up to 30%–50% without significant effects on their glucose levels.20(c)
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Azadirachta indica A. Juss. 85
Flower
CONSTITUENTS
Nimba flower:
15-acetoxy-7-deacetoxy- dihydroazadirone (neef- lone), nonacosane (saturated hydrocarbon).
Flowers yielded a crystalline compound, nimbo- sterol, a glycoside nimbosterin, and a flavon nimbicetin;20(c) fatty acids in the waxy material
are mainly palmitic (13.6%) and oleic (65.3%) acids;2(b) an essential oil (0.25%) contains thio-
amyl alcohol (7.6%), benzyl alcohol (9.67%), benzyl acetate (8.2%), and an unidentified alcohol (3.9%).20(c)
Flowers also contain beta-sitosterol and its beta- d-glycoside, kaempferol, quercetin, myricetin, and their glycosides.32
THERAPEUTIC AND OTHER ATTRIBUTES
Kus
tha, Aruci, Prameha, K
rmi, Kaphapittaja vikāra, Dāha, Jvara, Vi
samajvara, Netraroga, Raktavikāra, Phiranga, Śotha, Śrama, T
r snā, Kāsa, Vra na, Chardi, Ka ndu, Vra na, H rllāsa, H rdayavidāha
Used in obstinate skin diseases, tastelessness, urinary disorders/polyuria, worm infesta- tions, catarrhal disorders, burning syndrome, fever, intermittent fever, diseases of the eye, blood disorders, syphilis, inflammation, lethargy, morbid thirst, cough, ulcer, emesis, pruritus, nausea, and heartburn (therapeutic uses based on texts from 1000 bc to sixteenth century).
Charaka and Sushruta used the paste or decoc- tion of the Nimba leaf, flower, fruit, bark, and root in internal and external prescrip- tions for virulent skin diseases, leprosy, malignant ulcers, intestinal parasites, poi- soning, chronic fevers, urinary disorders, jaundice, ascites, hemorrhoids, edema, and inflammation.27,28
IMPORTANT FORMULATION/
APPLICATIONS
Kushtha kālāmla (correct name: Kushtha kālānala) Rasa (not in AFI; Bhaishajya Ratnāvali, seventeenth century), a mercury based mineral drug processed in the decoction of Nimbā panchānga (leaf, flower, fruit, root, and bark).
For obstinate skin diseases, including leprosy. Kushtha shailendra Rasa (not in the AFI, details
could not be traced).
Krmi vināshna Rasa (not in the AFI; Bhaishajya Ratnāvali) does not contain Nimba flowers. Flowers of Dhava (Anagallis arvensis) are a part of the herbo-mineral compound.
Krmighna Rasa (not quoted in the API; Bhaishajya Ratnāvali) also does not contain Nimba flowers, but contains Nimba fruit kernels.
Flowers are stomachic, stimulants, anthel- mintic, and antibiotic. They are used in atonic dyspepsia, jaundice and as a bitter tonic.2(b),15,20(c)
DOSAGE/USAGE/CAUTIONS/
COMMENTS
2–4 g Puspa curna. 10–20 ml Puspa svarasa.
Neem chemistry dates back to 1880–1890.20(c)
Neem is considered a pharmacy in its own right as every part of the plant has been used medici- nally since the period of Charaka and Sushruta (1000 bc).
The extract of Neem flowers, when screened for its influence on the carcinogen-detoxifying enzyme glutathione-S-transferase in Swiss mice, showed increased activity of the enzyme by more than 78% in the stomach, liver, and esophagus.20(c)
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86 Azadirachta indica A. Juss.
Fruit
CONSTITUENTS
Nimbu fruit:
Fixed oil containing diterpenoids and triterpe- noids (limonoids); nimbin, gedunin, azadirachtin; nimbidinin, salanin.
Fresh ripe fruits yield a new protolimonoid naheedin along with azadirachtol, 7-desacetyl- 7-benzoyl-azadiradione, nimocin, nimbocinol and nimolicinol.
Fruit pulp yields 17-alpha-hydroxyazadiradione; ara- binogalactan contains d-galactose, l- arabinose, l-rhamnose, and d-glucuronic acid.2(c)
Kernels yield a bitter fixed oil (40%–48.9%); isolated compounds of the oil include aza- dirchtins A, B, D, H, I, and K, nimbidin (1.2%–1.6%), nimbin (0.1%), and nimbinin (0.01%).2(b,d)
THERAPEUTIC AND OTHER
ATTRIBUTES
K rmi, Ku stha, Prameha, Gulma, Arśa, Palitya, Netrarujā, Raktapitta, K
sata k
saya, Śiroroga, Jvara, Aruci, Dāha, Chardi, H
rllasa, Vra na, Śotha, Vi
savikāra, Vibandha, Khālitya, Gandamālā
Used in worm infestations, obstinate skin dis- eases, urinary disorders/polyuria, abdominal lumps, piles, graying of the hair, pain in the eyes, bleeding disorders, emaciation due to injury, diseases of the head, fever, tastelessness, burning syndrome, emesis, nausea, ulcers, inflammation, disorders due to poison, consti- pation, alopecia, and cervical lymphadenitis
(therapeutic uses based on texts from 1000 bc to sixteenth century).
Fruits: anti-periodic, anthelmintic, astringent, purgative, and a bitter tonic.
Seed oil: strong anti-septic for boils, ulcers, eczema, leprosy, and urinary diseases. It is also insecticidal and spermicidal.20(c),15
IMPORTANT FORMULATION/
APPLICATIONS
Arshoghnivati (Siddhayoga Sangraha, non-classi- cal and contemporary), contains fruits of both Nimbā and Mahānimba. For bleeding piles, depleted hemorhoids. The drug does not have a history of actual application.
Palāshabijādi Churna (Rasoddhāra Tantra by Charanatirtha Mahārāja, period not known) contains Nimbā seeds with four other plant drugs in equal proportions. It is used for worm infestations.
The original compounds belong to Bhaishajya Ratnavali, seventeenth century.
DOSAGE/USAGE/CAUTIONS/
COMMENTS
1–2 g curna. 5–10 drops of oil.
The ethanolic extract of the leaves and seeds showed in vitro anti-malarial activity against chloroquine-sensitive and -resistant strains of
Plasmodium falciparum.
Neem seed fractions were found to be active not only against the parasite stages that caused the clinical infection, but also against the stages responsible for continued malaria transmission.20(c)
Stem bark
CONSTITUENTS
Nimba stem bark:
Bitter principles Nimbin and Nimbiol.
Stem bark showed the presence of steroids/ terpenoids, alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolics,
and saponins. Ethanolic extract yielded nimbin 0.04%, nimbinin 0.001%, and nimbidin 0.4%. Tannin content in the stem bark (50% ethanol extract) was found to be 15.76%. Trunk bark yielded 0.02% essential oil, as well as nim- bosterol (0.03%) desacetyl nimbin, sugiol or
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Azadirachta indica A. Juss. 87
7-ketoferruginol and nimbial. The bark as well as the fruit also contain the limonoids gedunin and 7-desacetyl gedunin.20(c)
The stem bark contains tannin 12%–16% and non- tannin 8%–11%.2(b)