Top 10 Health Benefits of Neem (Indian Lilac)-Neem Capsules by Planet Ayurveda
Introduction
In Indian villages, Neem is known by the name “Village Pharmacy” because of its numerous health benefits. It is used in Ayurvedic medicines since thousands of years. Its stem bark, root bark, gum, flower, seeds, leaves and seed oil are used for various medicinal purposes. Neem tree has been described in Ayurveda’s main text Charak Samhita as Sarva Roga Nivarini (that which keeps all the diseases at bay) or Arishtha (reliever of the disease). Neem, a tree native to India is a vital ingredient in Ayurvedic practice.
According to Ayurveda
According to Ayurveda, it is essential for health to take all 6 tastes in diet daily. The bitter taste balances Pitta and Kapha doshas and is said to be cooling, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and cleansing in nature. But, unfortunately in western countries the standard diet is lacking in bitter taste. Therefore, neem and other bitter herbs can be a great way to get the healing taste as a part of the diet. Neem is considered as an incredibly healing herb.
- Botanical Name: Azadirachta indica
- English Name: Margosa or neem
- Family: Meliaceae
Properties:
- Taste: Bitter and Astringent
- Qualities: Light to digest and dry in nature
- Undergoes pungent taste after digestion
- Potency: Cold
- Effect on Tridosha: Balances Pitta and Kapha but increases Vata dosha.
Charak has classified neem among the group of herbs that are useful in relieving itching and among the group of bitter tasting herbs.
Top 10 Health Benefits of Neem
Generally, all parts of neem have the following health benefits—
- Neem undergoes digestion and absorption very easily and quickly. It helps in improving the digestion process. It helps in absorbing moisture from the intestine. It dries up and cleans up the moisture in wounds and ulcers.
- Neem helps in balancing Pitta and Kapha doshas. Though neem has cold quality, it helps to balance Kapha which has cold quality. This is due to its other properties such as—undergoing pungent taste after digestion.
- Neem is also useful in intestinal worms, infested wounds hence considered as an anti-microbial agent. It helps to cleanse and heal wound quickly.
- It helps to relieve anorexia. Bitter tasting herbs, though difficult to consume, have this unique property of relieving anorexia.
- It is useful in diabetes and diseases of urinary tract.
- It is quite useful in numerous skin diseases.
- Being coolant in nature, neem leaves help to relieve bleeding disorders.
- Twig of neem is especially beneficial in respiratory problems like—bronchitis and cold.
- Neem is also useful in inflammatory conditions and skin conditions having redness and pus.
- Flower of neem is good for eyes.
- According to Sushruta, oil extracted from neem fruit is pungent , hot in potency, has piercing quality and useful in skin diseases and headache.
Different ways to use Neem
- Neem for Diabetes and associated skin diseases/wound—Neem helps in lowering blood glucose levels hence useful in diabetes. It is also useful in skin diseases and helps in healing the wounds. Hence, it is one of the herbal ingredient in many Ayurvedic formulations used in diabetes. It also helps to heal the wounds quickly and relieves skin diseases such as—diabetic carbuncles.
- Neem powder used as soap or in bathing water—People having repeated skin infections with redness and pus and people with repeated abscess problem, they should add a spoon of neem powder to a bucket of hot water and use this water for bathing.
- For liver health—Mix 1/8 tsp of neem and 1/8 tsp of turmeric with 1 tsp of Aloe vera juice and ½ cup of water. Take this mixture 3 times daily.
- For oral health—For preparing natural homemade mouthwash, take 4 tsp of neem herbal extract, add 5 drops of tea tree oil and 2 cups water. Take a small amount into the mouth and swish for 3 minutes twice a day.
- Neem powder can be made into paste with honey or water can be apply over the wound in the form of paste.
- Neem water decoction can be used for washing during infection like—infected pile mass, for washing eyes, for washing infected anal fistula or haemorrhoids.
- Neem can be used as a part of food or as oral medication.
Neem Capsules by Planet Ayurveda
- Neem capsules of Planet Ayurveda contain neem leaves which is rich in fibre. The leaves of neem consists of 10 amino acids. The active constituents of leaves are—nimbolide, nimbandial, quercentin, nimbiene and desacetylnimbinase.
Benefits of Neem Capsules of Planet Ayurveda:
- In Psoriasis—Bark extract of Neem which is used in capsules relieves itching and pain and also reduces the scale and redness of lesions in Psoriasis.
- Acne—It is considered as nature’s best blood purifier thus it is the best remedy for acne as well as to clear the acne scars.
- Ulcers—Neem helps in speeding the healing of gastric and duodenal ulcers. It is also an effective herb for acid formation.
- Pyorrhea—The extracts of neem prevents pyorrhea, periodontal diseases and tooth decay.
- Diabetes—Neem Capsules help in reducing the blood sugar levels naturally and help in providing relief in both insulin dependent as well as non-insulin dependent diabetes.
- Under Eye Dark Circles—The blemishes are due to stress, nutritional deficiency, irregular sleep, malnutrition etc. Neem helps in purifying the blood but keeping in mind other factors, specific treatment for the cause is also recommended.
Dosage: 1-2 capsules twice or thrice daily for 1 month after meals with plain water.
Neem Side Effects
- Since it can lower blood glucose levels, as a general rule, if one is fasting then it is better to avoid oral intake of neem.
- People with diabetes should use neem only under medical provision with constant blood glucose level monitoring.
- Neem is quite Vata provoking and hence should not be used in excess by those with Vata imbalance like—anxiety, dry skin, constipation.
