WONDER PLANT - NEEM
Trinidad Guardian
May 30, 2000
Page 23
For
thousands of years humans have sought to fortify their health
and cure various ills with herbal remedies.
Throughout this time, the search for a true panacea or cure-all has been
undertaken by virtually every civilization.
While hundreds of substances have been tried and tested, few have
withstood modern scientific scrutiny.
Perhaps no other botanical meets the true definition of a panacea than
neem, a tropical evergreen native to India.
When
the indentured immigrants came to the Caribbean to toil the land, they brought
with them their knowledge of plants.
Today, many of the plants used for their medicinal and culinary values
by the indentured East Indians are still finding their place in every day
use. One of these is the wonder plant,
neem.
Every
part of this fascinating plant has been used to treat hundreds of different
maladies from ancient to modern times.
While it is still revered in India for its superior healing properties,
recent investigation has dramatically increased worldwide interest in neem and
the many products now manufactured with this almost miraculous herb.
In
India the neem tree has been revered as the ‘village pharmacy,” where it has
served the people faithfully for centuries.
Every part of this sacred tree is used in some form on a daily basis –
the twigs as a toothbrush, the oil for soap, and the leaves for medicine. The diversity of neem’s uses is
staggering. It is commonly used in the
manufacture of natural medicines, health and beauty preparations, culinary
seasonings and natural insect repellents.
The
Ayurvedic literature is replete with references to neem’s genuine effectiveness
for a myriad of ailments. In “The Yoga
of Herbs,” Vasant Lad and David Frawley say, “Neem is one of the most powerful
blood-purifiers and detoxifiers in Ayurvedic usage. It cools the fever and clears the toxins involved in most
inflammatory skin diseases.” They
describe the actions of neem as: antipyretic (fever reducing), alterative
(produces gradual beneficial change in body), anthelmintic (dispels parasites),
antiseptic (destroys bacteria), and bitter tonic (strengthens the organism).
Michael
Tierra, in his herbal classic, “The Way of Herbs,” further adds the properties
of astringent (firms tissues and organs) and anti-inflammatory to the previous
description. He says, “An extract of
the leaves and bark has powerful antibacterial and antiviral activity. It is also taken internally to eliminate
worms”. The leaf extracts and oil from
the seed kernel has also been used for centuries by Indians to maintain
beautiful and healthy skin.
You
may be familiar with neem as a culinary spice, or you may have purchased
neem-based toothpastes. This is only
the beginning of the neem story.
Consumers can soon expect to find a complete selection of products
containing neem such as cremes, lotions, tinctures, extracts, and capsules.
While
Western medical doctors initially considered neem to e nothing more than ‘native
folklore,’ many are now giving neem serious consideration as a potent and safe
ingredient for use in diverse health treatments. The lack of side effects certainly enhances neem’s appeal to
doctors and consumers alike. Ongoing
scientific research is validating what Ayurvedic practitioners have known for
centuries; neem is a dynamic and useful plant which can solve dozens of health
problems, while enhancing overall well being.