Medicinal properties of neem leaves: a review

Azadirachta indica, commonly known as neem, has attracted worldwide prominence in recent years, owing to its wide range of medicinal properties. Neem has been extensively used in Ayurveda, Unani and Homoeopathic medicine and has become a cynosure of modern medicine. Neem elaborates a vast array of biologically active compounds that are chemically diverse and structurally complex. More than 140 compounds have been isolated from different parts of neem. All parts of the neem tree- leaves, flowers, seeds, fruits, roots and bark have been used traditionally for the treatment of inflammation, infections, fever, skin diseases and dental disorders. The medicinal utilities have been described especially for neem leaf. Neem leaf and its constituents have been demonstrated to exhibit immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antihyperglycaemic, antiulcer, antimalarial, antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic properties. This review summarises the wide range of pharmacological activities of neem leaf.

Similar articles

Gupta SC, Prasad S, Tyagi AK, Kunnumakkara AB, Aggarwal BB. Gupta SC, et al. Phytomedicine. 2017 Oct 15;34:14-20. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2017.07.001. Epub 2017 Jul 3. Phytomedicine. 2017. PMID: 28899496 Review.

Sujarwo W, Keim AP, Caneva G, Toniolo C, Nicoletti M. Sujarwo W, et al. J Ethnopharmacol. 2016 Aug 2;189:186-93. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2016.05.014. Epub 2016 May 10. J Ethnopharmacol. 2016. PMID: 27178630

Patil SM, Shirahatti PS, V B CK, Ramu R, M N NP. Patil SM, et al. Phytomedicine. 2021 Jul 15;88:153596. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153596. Epub 2021 May 19. Phytomedicine. 2021. PMID: 34092456 Review.

Kharwar RN, Sharma VK, Mishra A, Kumar J, Singh DK, Verma SK, Gond SK, Kumar A, Kaushik N, Revuru B, Kusari S. Kharwar RN, et al. Planta Med. 2020 Sep;86(13-14):906-940. doi: 10.1055/a-1107-9370. Epub 2020 Mar 3. Planta Med. 2020. PMID: 32126583 Review.

Yadav DK, Bharitkar YP, Chatterjee K, Ghosh M, Mondal NB, Swarnaka S. Yadav DK, et al. Indian J Exp Biol. 2016 Nov;54(11):708-18. Indian J Exp Biol. 2016. PMID: 30179391 Review.

Cited by

Al-Omairi M, Alamir SG, Salman BI, El Deeb S, Alrashdi YBA, Al-Harrasi A, Ibrahim AE. Al-Omairi M, et al. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2024 Aug 14. doi: 10.1007/s12011-024-04343-w. Online ahead of print. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2024. PMID: 39143445

Dang J, Zhang G, Li J, He L, Ding Y, Cai J, Cheng G, Yang Y, Liu Z, Fan J, Du L, Liu K. Dang J, et al. Nutrients. 2024 May 16;16(10):1506. doi: 10.3390/nu16101506. Nutrients. 2024. PMID: 38794743 Free PMC article.

Kairy MH, Fadel HAE, Aleim AEAFAE, Gad GN, Youssef FEZA, Ibrahim AM, SaadEldin WF. Kairy MH, et al. Open Vet J. 2024 Jan;14(1):341-349. doi: 10.5455/OVJ.2024.v14.i1.31. Epub 2024 Jan 31. Open Vet J. 2024. PMID: 38633167 Free PMC article.

Kato-Noguchi H. Kato-Noguchi H. J Pestic Sci. 2024 Feb 20;49(1):1-14. doi: 10.1584/jpestics.D23-052. J Pestic Sci. 2024. PMID: 38450087 Free PMC article.

Boakye-Yiadom M, Yeboah R, Offei-Abrokwa D, Wilson EB, Darko SA, Tamakloe E. Boakye-Yiadom M, et al. Clin Case Rep. 2024 Feb 23;12(2):e8539. doi: 10.1002/ccr3.8539. eCollection 2024 Feb. Clin Case Rep. 2024. PMID: 38405358 Free PMC article.