Ethnopharmacological Landscape of Azadirachta indica (Neem): Phytochemical Diversity Bridging Traditional Heritage and Modern Medicine.
Sharma A, Raut SS, Shukla A, Parul N, Singh A
Medicinal Plants
Neem trees planted in tropical gardens worldwide have been used as living pharmacies for centuries, and this review is the clearest accounting yet of what science has confirmed — and what remains unproven — about the leaves and seeds you might already be harvesting.
Neem is a tree long used in traditional medicine across South Asia and Africa, and scientists have now catalogued over 140 active chemical compounds it produces. In lab studies, these compounds show promise against cancer cells, diabetes, and brain diseases like Alzheimer's — but the jump from lab dish to actual human treatment has barely begun, with almost no large human trials completed. The tree's insect-repelling properties are better validated than its medical ones, and researchers are urging a shift toward proper human trials rather than more lab experiments.
Key Findings
Over 140 distinct bioactive compounds have been identified across all parts of the neem plant, including limonoids like azadirachtin and nimbolide that target multiple cancer-related molecular pathways.
Only 15 interventional clinical trials are registered for neem, the majority focused on oral/dental conditions, with zero published Phase II or III results for systemic diseases like cancer or diabetes.
Toxicity risks are real and dose-dependent — neem oil ingestion has caused encephalopathy (brain swelling) in children, and embryotoxicity has been documented, highlighting that 'natural' does not mean safe.
chevron_right Technical Summary
This review synthesizes 25 years of research on neem, mapping over 140 bioactive compounds to specific disease-fighting mechanisms — yet finds that despite impressive lab results against cancer, diabetes, and neurological diseases, only 15 human clinical trials exist, mostly for dental conditions, with no phase II/III results for serious systemic diseases.
Abstract Preview
Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (neem) is a cornerstone of traditional medicine across tropical regions, recognized for its broad-spectrum therapeutic applications. However, the translation of its exte...
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Azadirachta indica, commonly known as neem, margosa, nimtree or Indian lilac, is a tree in the mahogany family Meliaceae. It is one of the two species in the genus Azadirachta. It is native to the Indian subcontinent and to parts of Southeast Asia, but is naturalized and grown around the world in...