MEDICINAL BENEFITS OF NEEM: A REVIEW

Zeeshan Haider Rizvi, Mohd Tariq, Jamal Akhtar*, Mohd Naime, Maqbool Ahmad Khan

ABSTRACT

Herbal medicines are also known as herbal products, herbal remedies, phyto-medicines, herbal medicinal products, phyto-therapeutic agents and phyto-pharmaceutical agents. Neem consists of dried root bark of Azadirachta indica A. Juss. syn. Meliaazadirachta Linn. (Fam. Meliaceae), a medium to large evergreen tree attaining a height of 15 to 20 m or more under favourable conditions and found throughout the plains of India upto an altitude of 900 m. It is having antimicrobial, antifungal, anthelmintic, insecticidal, antiviral, antipyretic, anti- malarial, antiperiodic, mosquito larvicidal, anti-inflammatory, antifertility, spermicidal, hypoglycaemic activities and recommended in inflammation of gums, gingivitis, periodonitis, sores, boils, enlargement of spleen, malarial fever, fever during childbirth, measles, smallpox, head scald and cutaneous affections. Oil—used (CPK) as a contraceptive for intravaginal use, for the treatment of vaginal infections, and as a mosquito repellent. In this review an attempt has been made to give a detailed description of this medicinal plant and the scientific data on it.

Keywords: Neem, Unani, musaffi khoon.