Neem Oil

Neem Oil Azadiracta indica

Pressed from the seeds of a tree grown in lowland tropical areas, neem oil has many remarkable properties which make it useful in the following:

Skin and Hair Care:

Used in soaps, shampoos, and skin creams, neem oil kills viruses, fungi, and bacteria such as wart, pox, hepatitis, athlete's foot, ringworm, candida, staph, and salmonella.

Oral Hygiene:

Neem sticks are used as toothbrushes by people in areas where it grows.Used in toothpaste, neem oil inhibits gum inflammation (pyorrhea), receding gums, mouth ulcers, and tooth decay.

Pest Control:

Applied in the home, it repels house flies, and fleas.

Diluted and applied to the skin, neem oil acts as an insect repellent keeping mosquitoes, fleas, and sandflies from biting.

Read more about Natural Flea Control Methods.

Applied to plants as a systemic pesticide, it keeps insects as diverse as fruit flies, flour beetles, gypsy moths, weevils, fire ants, cabbage loopers, and leaf miners from feeding, and disrupts the development of insects like thrips, cockroaches, and potato beetles that feed on these plants.

Neem also kills snails, slugs, viruses, fungi, and bacteria, and inhibits aflatoxin production by fungi.

Applied to soil, neem leaves and seed cake protect plant roots from nematodes and insects, as well as making soils more fertile by preventing soil bacteria from wasting nitrogen.

Parasite Control:

Neem has been used traditionally to control parasite-caused conditions, and more testing is still being done. Its toxicity appears to be low.

Cautions:

Although other parts of the neem tree can be safely consumed (tea is regularly made from the leaves and bark), it's best not to ingest the oil - long-term use has been linked with liver dysfunction.

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