The Best Neem: Shopping Guide and Recommendations (01/23)

In natural medicine, the neem tree is often considered a panacea and is used to make oils, ointments, creams and tea. In fact, a variety of effects of neem extracts have been scientifically proven in the meantime.

Neem has a general effect:

• Antibacterial (1, 2)
• Anti-inflammatory (2)
• Against fungi and viruses (2)

Among other things, the active ingredient nimbidin is responsible for this. It is found in the seeds of the neem tree and is being extensively researched in science in order to be able to produce effective medicines based on neem.

Effective components have also been found in the leaves and bark of the tree, which are used in a variety of ways in medicine. (2)

An overview of the most important applications can be found in the following sections.

Neem for healthy skin, hair and teeth

Neem extracts can be found in various cosmetic or medical care products.

One well-studied application for neem is in toothpaste. Clinical studies have shown that toothpaste with neem helps to improve oral health (3).

The bark of the neem tree in particular is used for the production of such pastes. Neem toothpaste is also suitable for targeting bacteria in the oral cavity (4).

In shampoo, neem can also prove useful as it can help against lice. The effectiveness of some neem-based lice remedies has already been confirmed in scientific studies (5).

Neem kills both the already hatched lice and the larvae after only a few treatments.

In general, neem is said to be effective against skin diseases and irritations. The effects found in clinical studies were not as strong as with other medicinal plants, such as common mahonia. However, some studies were able to show an effect for neem against skin diseases (6).

Since herbal treatment methods are usually associated with fewer side effects than pharmaceutical drugs, further research is being conducted on the individual components of neem in order to be able to use the effective components specifically in the treatment of skin diseases. (7)

The bark of the neem tree can be used against herpes type I due to its antiviral properties (8). Studies suggest that neem directly attacks the virus responsible for the outbreak of herpes. Extracts from the bark of the neem tree can therefore be a good alternative to chemical herpes treatments.

In traditional Ayurvedic medicine, neem oil is also used for chronic, i.e. non-healing wounds. In clinical tests, this effect was scientifically investigated and a significant effect was indeed found for neem oil: After eight weeks of treatment, 50% of the wounds of the patients examined had healed. (9)

All in all, some studies suggest that neem for application on the skin, hair or teeth can indeed be an effective remedy for many ailments.

Neem against ulcers and tumours

As a so-called panacea, neem has also been used to treat ulcers and tumours. This earned the plant the reputation of even being effective against cancer.

Since an inhibitory effect of neem on some ulcers had already been found in animal experiments, there are now also clinical studies on humans. Some studies have shown that neem can indeed stop the growth of some tumours and heal some ulcers (10, 11).

Neem showed a significant effect on ulcers in the digestive tract (12) and tumours on female genital organs (13).

Neem can be effective against certain ulcers and tumours. However, it is not yet a cure for cancer.

However, this does not mean that neem is a cure for cancer. For one thing, not every ulcer is a cancerous tumour. The effects found referred, for example, to stomach or intestinal ulcers, which are triggered by excessive production of stomach acid (12) and are considered to be easily curable anyway.

On the other hand, neem is mentioned in the research results as a possible component of the therapy. This does not mean that taking neem alone is enough to treat tumours.

Neem as a contraceptive

On many websites about naturopathy, neem is also listed as a contraceptive. Women should chew the leaves of the neem tree daily or rub neem oil into their vagina before sexual intercourse to prevent pregnancy.

Sometimes it is also recommended for men to swallow neem capsules regularly to prevent conception. But does neem really protect against unwanted pregnancy?

If you look at the studies on this, the answer is: maybe. It has been shown in rats that neem oil in the uterus prevents the implantation of eggs (14). Even if fertilisation had already taken place, neem extract could lead to abortions in the rodents. (15)

However, this effect has not yet been sufficiently investigated in humans.

However, it was shown that neem is indeed able to kill human sperm completely (16). This means that neem oil in the vagina could actually ensure that the sperm do not make it to the egg.

However, before resorting to this contraceptive method, one should be aware that neem oil – and herbal contraceptive methods in general – have not yet been scientifically tested for their reliability.

Even if neem does indeed have the ability to prevent pregnancy, this does not mean that it works reliably in every case.

To sum up: Neem does have contraceptive properties, but as a method of preventing unwanted pregnancies it is very unsafe. Therefore, the use of neem should not be lightly preferred to classical contraceptive methods.

Neem against pests

One of the most common uses of neem in Europe is pest control. The neem oil extracted from the seeds of the neem tree is sprayed as a plant protection on infested crops or home plants.

The effectiveness of the oil in agriculture and in the garden has been scientifically confirmed. (17, 18)

Neem oil can also be used against mosquito infestations, as it kills the larvae. (19)

During the production of neem oil, there are residues that also still contain important active ingredients. These residues are processed into the so-called neem press cake and then used to improve the agricultural soil. (17)

In animals, neem can also be used to treat worm infestations. Here, too, the effect of neem as a pest control has been scientifically proven. (20)

Other effects of neem

The fact that neem is said to have a general health-promoting effect could be due to the fact that it supports the immune system. Studies have shown that neem stimulates certain cells of the immune system so that they can react more quickly to viruses. (21)

Because of neem’s versatile mechanisms of action, research is also being conducted into other possible applications. There are already indications that neem could be effective as a therapeutic agent for the following diseases:

• Kidney damage: Since some drugs, such as cisplatin, have significant side effects, research is being done to find ways to counteract these side effects without causing further damage. In an experiment with rats that had suffered kidney damage from cisplatin, neem proved to be a possible protection against kidney damage when treated with cisplatin. (22)
• Diabetes: In a laboratory study with diabetic rats, neem was tested as a possible treatment agent. The results showed that neem significantly improved glucose tolerance in these rats. Thus, it can possibly be used as part of the treatment of type 2 diabetes. (23)
• Fever: Neem is also considered to reduce fever in natural medicine. However, we have no reliable evidence of this effect.

Which components cause which effects and how neem can be successfully used in natural and conventional medicine is currently still being investigated.

The seed of its fruit is used for the production of the sought-after neem oil. However, the bark and leaves are also used in natural medicine.

What these forms are used for in detail and what advantages or disadvantages they have, you will learn in the following sections.

Neem oil

The most common form in which neem is sold is neem oil. It is made from the seeds of the neem tree and is often highly concentrated.

Neem oil is not suitable for internal use. Instead, it is used to make ointments, creams and shampoo. Neem oil is also used for plant protection.

Pure neem oil can also be used as skin care. For example, if you have neurodermatitis or psoriasis, you can carefully apply the pure oil to the affected areas to kill the bacteria and prevent inflammation.

Neem oil can also be used against lice by rubbing it into the scalp when washing the hair.

All in all, a wide variety of ointments, care products and plant protection products can easily be made from neem oil.

Neem capsules

Neem capsules are sold as dietary supplements for ingestion. They are in lower doses than neem oil and can therefore be swallowed.

However, it is essential not to exceed the daily dose recommended by the manufacturer, otherwise unpleasant side effects and overdoses may occur.

The purpose of these capsules is said to be to strengthen the immune system and supply the body with bitter substances. Due to its antibacterial effect, neem is also said to have a preventive effect against diseases. How strong this preventive effect is, however, still needs to be investigated.

Neem powder or tea

Neem tea is often drunk in Ayurvedic medicine to strengthen the immune system and protect the body from bacteria.

The leaves of the neem tree contain a lot of bitter substances, which makes the tea not very tasty. Nevertheless, tea lovers can buy powder and ready-made tea preparations.

Unlike neem, however, feverfew is also known for its pain-relieving effect and use for menstrual cramps. (27)

A home-made nettle decoction is often recommended against pest infestations in the garden. However, we do not have any scientific tests on the effect of such a brew. In DIY and garden centres there are also ready-made products for pest control on a natural basis.