NIMBA

Latin name : Azadiracta indica A. Juss.

(Melia azadirachta Linn.)

निरुक्ति : निर्व्वति स्वास्थ्यम् । (नि.आ.)

निम्बति सिञ्चति स्वास्थ्यमिति, स्वस्थवृत्तिकरमिति यावत् । (भा.नि)

Nimba (Bp. Ni.)- It promotes health.

Family: Maliaceae

Gana/Varga:            

Charaka	Kushthaghna, Tiktaskandha
Sushruta	Aragwadhadi, Guduchyadi, Lakshadi
Bhavaprakasha nighantu	Guduchyadi Varga 81-84
API Part I	Vol II, V
Nighantu Adarsha.	part I
DravyaGuna vignana. P. V.	Kandughna page 149

Synonyms:

Based on others
वरात्वचः	वरा ष्ठा त्वगस्येति । (प.)
Varatvacha	Generally its bark is used.
शूकप्रियः	शुकानां प्रियः । (ध.नि)
Shukapriya	Parrots loves to sit on this tree.
काकफलः	काकैर्भक्ष्यं फलमस्य । (रा.नि)
Kakaphala	The fruits are eaten by crows.

 

Based on Guna
सुतिक्तकः	अतितिक्तः, तिक्तद्रव्येष्वग्रगण्यः । (ध.नि)
Sutiktaka/ Tiktaka (Bp. Ni.)	It is excessive bitter and best among Tikta dravya.
वरतिक्तः	अतितिक्तः, तिक्तद्रव्येष्वग्रगण्यः । (रा.नि)
Varaikta	It is excessive bitter and best among Tikta dravya.
Based on Karma
नेता	नयति प्रापयत्यारोग्यमिति, ओषधीनामग्रणीर्वा । (ध.नि)
Neta	As it promotes health, is best among all Oushadhi.
नियमनः	नियच्छति शमयति रोगानिति । (ध.नि)
Niyamana	It cures diseases.
पारिभद्रः	परितः भद्रः कल्याणकारकः । (भा.नि)
Paribhadra	It is Kalyanakaraka.
सर्वतोभदः	परितः भदः कल्याणकारकः । (ध.नि)
Sarvatobhadra	It brings holiness to the body. ( Ni.A.)
मालकः	मलते शरीरं दोषानपाकृत्येति । (अ.को.)
Malaka	The tree is always found with crows. ( Ni.A.)
अरिष्टः	न रिष्टम् अशुभमस्मात् , सर्वरोगनाशकैत्यथः । (भा.नि)
Arishta (Bp. Ni.)	That which never harms body and cures all disorders.
कृमिघ्नः	कृमीन् हन्तीति । (कै.नि)
Krimighna	It acts as antihelminthiasis.
पिचुमर्दः	पिचुं कुष्ठं म्मर्दयति नाशयतीति;
	पिचुकस्य फलविशेषस्य माधुर्यं मर्दयतीति पिचुमन्दः । (भा.नि)
Pichumarda (Bp. Ni.)	It cures Kushtha . Fruits are sweet.
पूयारि	पूयनाशकः । (श.)
Puyari	It cures pus.
छर्दनः	छर्दयतीति, वामक इत्यर्थः । (कै.नि)
Chardana	It induces Vamana.

हिंगुनिर्यास : हिंगु गन्धनिर्यासो अस्य । हिंग्वाकारो हिंगुगन्‌धो वा ।

Hinguniryasa (Bp. Ni.) – Its Gum smells like Hingu and is physically similar to Hingu;

Vernacular names:

                       

Hindi	Neem
Assami	Mahanim
Kannada	Bevu
Bengali	Nim
Marathi	Limb
Gujarati	Limba, Limbado
Telagu	Turakavepa
Punjabi	Nimba, Nim
Tamil	Veppu
Malayalam	Veppu, Aruveppu
English	Neem tree, Margosa tree, Indian Lilac

Morphology:

Habit : Medium to large sized tree, 15-20 m in height with a clear bole having greyish to dark grey tubercled bark; Leaves : alternate, imparipinnate, leaflets -sub opposite, serrate, very oblique at the base; Inflorescence : axillary panicles , Flowers: hermaphrodite, cream or yellowish white; Calyx 5-lobed; Petals 5, much exceeding the calyx, free, imbricate; Disc 0; Staminal tubes conspicuous, cylindric, widening above, 9-10 lobed at the apex, anthers within the tube opposite to and shorter than the lobes; Ovary 3-celled; Fruits : one seeded drupes, woody endocarp, greenish yellow when ripe; Seeds : ellipsoid, cotyledons thick, fleshy and oily.   

Distribution: Throughout India, in deciduous forests, also widely cultivated.

Types:- NA

Guna-Karma:

                       

Guna	Laghu
Rasa	Tikta, Kashaya
Vipaka	Katu
Virya	Shita
Karma
Doshaghnata	Pitta-Kaphahara Pittahara: Pertaining to Tikta Kashaya Rasa and Shita virya Kaphahara: Pertaining to Tikta Kashaya Rasa
Anyakarma	Kushthaghna, Kandughna, Krumighna, Apakwa Vrana Pachana, Vrana shodhana, Jwaraghna, Grahi, Shramahara, Ahrudya;

Prayoga: Kushtha, Kandu, Krumi, Vrana, Rakta roga, Amlapitta, Jwara, Shrama, Kasa, Aruchi, Trushna, Chardi, Hrullasa, Meha.

	Nimba patra	Nimba Phala	Nimba taila	Nimba Pushpa
Guna		Snigdha, Laghu	Tikshna, Laghu, Sara
Rasa		Tikta rasa	Katu
Vipaka	Katu	Katu paka	Katu	Katu
Virya		Ushna
Karma
Doshaghnata	Vatala, Pittahara		Anila, Kapha hara	Pittahara,Vatala
Anyakarma	Netrya, Krumihara, Vishahara, Sarva arochaka and Kushthahara. (Bp. Ni.) especially Vranaghna (K.N.)	Bhedana, Kushthaghna, Gulma, Arsha, Krumi, Mehahara. (Bp. Ni.)	Krumi, Kushtha, Shiroroga hara	Chakshushya, Krumi, Visha, Sarva arochaka hara; (K. N.)

 

 

Prayojya Anga: Patra, Twak (Stem Bark), Taila

Twak (Stem Bark): Bark varies much in thickness according to age and parts of tree from where it is taken; extemal surface rough, fissured and rusty-grey; laminated inner surface yellowish and foliaceous, fracture, fibrous; odour- characteristic; taste- bitter.

Fruit - Glabrous, dark reddish-brown, ovoid to ellipsoid drupes. 0.5 to 2 cm long, over one cm wide; indehiscent, deeply wrinkled, enclosing a single seed in a brownish leathery pulp; odour strong; taste, bitter.

Seed- Brownish, dorsally convex; upto 1.5 cm long and 0.6 cm wide; seed coat thin, brownish, shell-like, cracks to touch, inside of cracked pieces golden yellow; seed kernel, light brown, oily; odour, strong; taste, bitter.

Chemical composition:

Leaves	Triterpenoids and Sterols, nimbin, nimbanene, 6-desacetylnimbinene, nimbandiol, nimbolide, ascorbic acid, n-hexacosanol and amino acid, 7-desacetyl-7-benzoylazadiradione, 7-desacetyl-7-benzoylgedunin, 17-hydroxyazadiradione, and nimbiol Quercetin and ß-sitosterol, polyphenolic flavonoids, were purified from neem fresh leaves and were known to have antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Stem bark	Bitter principles Nimbin and Nimbiol
Seeds	Fixed oil containing diterpenoids and triterpenoids (limonoids); nimbin, gedunin, azadirachtin, nimbidinin, salanin, gedunin and azadirachtin.

Sangraha Kala: Not specific.

Amayika prayoga:

Bahya:

1.     Kushtha: Nimba Panchanga Churna or Kwatha should be used for Snana, Pana and Lepana. (Ch.Chi.7)

2.     Arunshika (Dandruff): Nimba Jala should be used to wash the head. (Su. Chi. 20)

3.     Padmini Kantaka : The Kwatha of Nimba twak and Aragvadha should be used for Utsadana. (Su. Chi. 20)

4.     Vatarakta : Nimba patra pasted in Kanji is applied. (Ha. Chi. 25)

5.     Dantaroga : Gandusha  withNimba mula Kwatha is advised. (Harita)

6.     Khalitya and Palitya : Nasya  with Nimba taila is recomended.Diet : Only milk. (A.Hru.U.24)

7.     Netraroga : Kalka  of Nimba patra, Shunthi and Saindhava lavana should be kept on eyes, which reduces Shotha, Kandu and Vedana. (Vangasena)

8.     Krimiyukta Vrana : Nimba Patra kalka and Hingu should be tied over Vrana. (Bp.Ni.)

9.     Gandamala : Nasya with Nimba Taila is advised. (Shodhala)

 

Abhyantara :

1.     Raktavaha srotas:  Tikta, Kashaya rasa, laghu, Ruksha guna  absorbs Kleda, it is Kandughna, Krimighna and Vrana shodhaka so acts best in Kushta.

Galita Kushtha :

 a. Nimba Panchanga Kwatha should be given. (Su. Chi. 7)

b. Nimba patra  churna and Dhatri or Abhaya churna should be taken for 1 month. (Shodhla)

c. 100 Nimba patra churna should be taken with Jala for 6 months. (Shodhla)

 Udarda, Kotha, Shitapitta, Amlapitta etc: Churna of Nimba patra  and Dhatri should be taken with Ghrita. (Chakradatta)

Kamala: Nimbapatra Swarasa should be given with Madhu. (Chakradatta)

2.     Medovaha srotas: Tikta, Kashaya rasa, Laghu, Ruksha guna absorbs Kleda and Meda in Prameha.

Surameha:  Nimba mulatwak Kwatha should be given. . (Su. Chi. 11)

3.     Krimi: Nimba patra swarasa should be given with Madhu. (Bp.Ni.)

4.     Visha: Nimba phala should be given with hot water. ( Harita)

5.     Vatarakta: Kwatha prepared of Nimbapatra and Patola patra should be given with Madhu.  ( Harita)

Matra:

Patra swarasa	2-5 Tola (Ni.A.)
Patra churna	¼ Tola (Ni.A.)
Taila	5-10 drops (Ni.A.)
Nimba antastvak	30 ratti 4 times a day. (Ni.A.)

 

Vishishta Yoga: Arogyavardhini Gutika, Panchatikta ghruta, Panchatiktaghruta guggulu, Tiktaka kashaya, Panchanimba churna.

Research :

1.     Antibacterial Activity: Methanolic extract of A. indica (neem) leaves was tested for its antibacterial, antisecretory and antihemarrhagic activity against Vibrio cholera. (https://www.aiirjournal.com/uploads/Articles/2019/06/3873_05.Dr.Ketaki%20P.%20Gavle%20&%20Dr.A.M.Ghotankar.pdf)

2.     Oil extracted from leaves, seeds and bark gives a wide spectrum of antibacterial activity action against gram positive and gram negative microorganisms which including M. tuberculosis and streptomycin resistant strains.( https://www.aiirjournal.com/uploads/Articles/2019/06/3873_05.Dr.Ketaki%20P.%20Gavle%20&%20Dr.A.M.Ghotankar.pdf)

3.     Antifungal Activity: The aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Azadirachta indica leaves have been shown to have antidermatophytic activity against dermatophytes from the 88 clinical isolates with the help of agar dilution technique. In these studies, ethanolic extract showed more conspicuous activity as compared to aqueous extract.( https://www.aiirjournal.com/uploads/Articles/2019/06/3873_05.Dr.Ketaki%20P.%20Gavle%20&%20Dr.A.M.Ghotankar.pdf)

4.     Antimalarial Activity: Both aqueous and alcohol extracts of bark and leaves of neem are effective antimalarial agents, particularly on chloroquine resistant strains.( https://www.aiirjournal.com/uploads/Articles/2019/06/3873_05.Dr.Ketaki%20P.%20Gavle%20&%20Dr.A.M.Ghotankar.pdf)

5.     Wound Healing Activity: The water extract of stem bark of AI possesses significant wound healing property, validating its traditional use.( https://www.aiirjournal.com/uploads/Articles/2019/06/3873_05.Dr.Ketaki%20P.%20Gavle%20&%20Dr.A.M.Ghotankar.pdf)

Others:

Pashuayurveda:

KU$!ha cikitsa (treatment of cutaneous affections.): In any cuetaneous affection a decoction of Nimbspetre (Neemleaves), Patola (Snake Gourd), Triphala (Three myrobalans), and Khadira (Acacia catechu) should be successively given for three days to a horse, after Rsktsmokssns (bloodletting).

 

Important references: