Neem leaf extract is a potent liquid form of the neem herb, with antiviral, antimicrobial, and antibacterial properties. It is used in natural beauty products, toothpaste, and to treat conditions such as itchy scalp and skin diseases. However, it can be dangerous if taken internally for extended periods.
Neem leaf extract is a highly concentrated liquid form of the leaves of the neem herb, and is approximately 10 times more potent than a tincture. Technically, an infusion, decoction, or tincture is also a form of extract, but due to the much milder strength and shorter shelf life of an infusion and decoction, they are rarely referred to as extracts. However, if the neem leaf is allowed to soak in boiling water, a mild aqueous extract of neem leaf is achieved. The same can be said if alcohol, glycerin or some other solvent is used to extract the therapeutic properties of this herb.
Commercially prepared neem extract may involve methods using high pressure, heat evaporation, or a process known as cold percolation. Homemade extracts are usually made with a natural grain alcohol. They tend to be less powerful than their commercial counterparts.
The Latin name for neem is Azadirachta indica, and its Sanskrit name is nimba. Sanskrit is an ancient language of India, one of the lands where the tree is native. The plant also grows in other parts of South Asia and is cultivated in arid regions of Africa, the Middle East, Central and South America, Hawaii, and southern Florida in the United States.
Some form of neem leaf extract has been used through the centuries with positive results. For example, the young and tender twigs of the tree have been used as “chewing sticks” that served as primitive toothbrushes in India. This probably encouraged the addition of neem leaf extract to dentifrice formulations that are sometimes called neem toothpaste.
Some cases of dental disease such as gingivitis and minor infections of the mouth have been successfully treated with neem leaf extract or products containing the extract, a success generally attributed to neem’s antiviral and antimicrobial properties. Other benefits of neem leaf extract are due to the herb’s antiseptic and antibacterial properties, making it useful as an active ingredient in all natural herbal beauty products, such as neem shampoo or soap.
Itchy scalp and head lice are two conditions that respond very well to the extract. Skin diseases, ulcers and even leprosy are still treated externally with neem in many parts of the world due to the cleansing and healing action this natural medicine has on wounds and open sores. However, the herb should not be trusted to cure leprosy.
Neem leaf extract is quite potent, so it can be dangerous if taken internally for periods longer than two consecutive weeks or in high doses. There have been unconfirmed reports of people in Africa suffering kidney damage from prolonged internal use of neem to treat malaria. However, the reputation of being one of the most effective mosquito repellents in the world has kept neem on the list of all-natural agents used in the fight against deadly diseases like malaria that are spread by mosquitoes.
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