The Miracle of Neem!

In all honesty, I chose to study naturopathic medicine due to more of an intuitive knowing of its power, rather than significant first-hand experiences. But, as expected, my learning and experience at school has confirmed my conviction for this field one thousand fold. And is my personal experience with Neem at home I want to share with you today, because it has exponentially stimulated my interest and appreciation for botanical medicine and I truly give thanks for this magical earth we live in intimate relationship with. 

Latin name: Azadirachta indica

Common name: Neem (others: azadirachta, bead tree, holy tree, Indian azadirach, Indian lilac tree, margosa)

Family: Meliaceae 

                                  

Neem has been used extensively in the Ayurvedic tradition for many many centuries, with the first indication that is was used medicinally about 4,500 years ago. It has been considered a sacred tree, woven into the very fabric of Indian culture and traditions. From the anointing and fanning of newborns and use of the burnt bark to make red ash for religious decoration, to daily brushing with Neem twigs and Neem baths to treat rashes of Chicken pox, it really has been deemed to have miraculous healing properties. As a medicinal herb it is used to treat an impressively wide range of diseases.

I was introduced to Neem this summer in Jamaica by a family member who struggled with a nail fungus for most of their life. They were given a preparation of Neem leaves from a family friend to apply topically with tremendous success. They also used it for stubborn eczema on their arms and recommended I tried it for my son. My son has struggled with severe eczema all his life. While we made huge improvements in his health using a variety of naturopathic modalities, I had given up on topical treatments assuming that the severity of his disorder would be best addressed exclusively internally. Reluctantly, I tried the topical Neem leaf preparation for one week and his dry, red, irritated skin literally completely cleared – it really surprised me and was truly something near-magical to experience. 

                                                        

                         

I then decided to experiment with making my own Neem preparations. I bought ground Neem leaves from the local herb store downtown and did a long oil infusion with cold pressed coconut oil and olive oil to help keep it more liquefied in the colder weather. His daily routine involves a shower and total body application of this Neem oil with a top layer of aquaphor. This routine has proved to be the most effective topical management of this itching and irritation that we have yet to come across.

I began to wonder if I was missing some of the water soluble constituent by doing only a oil infusion. So I made a big pot of Neem tea and added it to his bath. He was especially excited because he hadn’t been able to take a bath in over year due to the skin irritation with extended time in the water. He spent an hour in the Neem bath and enjoyed every minute of it! Immediately after the bath and the morning after his skin was exceptionally smooth and even-toned. It was amazing! 

In terms of my personal experience, I had been doing a mini detox (removal of all processed food, grain and sugar for just one week) and noticed some red bumps come up on both sides of my face. I used the Neem preparation on my face for just 3 nights in a row and it completely cleared and never returned. My skin is easily 3 times smoother, clearer and even toned.

                              

More on Neem....

Neem is a large evergreen tree related to mahogany. It has long spreading branches with glossy, serrated, alternate leaves that form a broad crown. The bark is grey and rough. The tree produces a small, oval, smooth yellow fruit with a single seed inside. Neem is native to India and is commonly found and cultivated throughout the greater part of India, in the wild. In general, it prefers to grow in seasonally dry, tropical woodlands and has formed significant populations in Ghana, Kenya, Fiji and Puerto Rico.

Mainly the bark and leaf of the Neem tree are used for medicine and over 180 chemical compounds, including terpenoids and steroids, have been isolated. Leaf extracts contain active constituents such as nimbin, nimbinene, nimbandiol, nimbolide, quercetin and ß-sitosterol. The leaf is used for eye disorders, intestinal worms, abdominal upset, skin ulcers, cardiovascular disease, contraception/abortion, fever, diabetes, gingivitis, and hepatic dysfunction. The bark contains the bitter principle nimbin, nimbinin, and nimbidin, ß-sitosterol and tannins, mainly used for malaria, peptic ulcer, skin diseases and pain. These indications are based on Neem’s anti-diabetic, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-parasitic, tumor suppressive, apoptotic, immunomodulating, anti-ulcer, anti-secretory and astringent properties. Of note, the biologically active compound azadirachtin extracted from the seed is used as a repellent for a broad spectrum of agricultural and household insects. Neem leaves and twigs can also be used as mulch and fertilizer with insecticidal properties and relatively high nitrogen content.