What Is Neem Leaf Good For? .....

Neem leaf or bark is considered an effective pitta pacifier due to its bitter taste. Hence, it is traditionally recommended during early summer in Ayurveda (that is, the month of Chaitra as per the Hindu Calendar which usually falls in the month of March - April), and during Gudi Padva, which is the First Day of Hindu New Year, the ancient practice of drinking a small quantity of neem juice or paste on that day, before starting festivities, is found. As in many Hindu festivals and their association with some food to avoid negative side-effects of the season or change of seasons, neem juice is associated with Gudi Padva to remind people to use it during that particular month or season to pacify summer pitta.

About Neem : 

Everyone is aware of the immense health qualities neem has. It is a very famous herb of India and is known all over the world for its medicinal properties. It has been used in Ayurveda since a long time and has been mentioned in ancient texts for its exceptional beneficial nature. It is commonly known as Margosa tree in English, while it’s biological name is Azadirachta indica. In India, this tree is revered and worshipped and can be found just about anywhere. It is an evergreen tree, which attains a height of around 40-50 feet. Every part of the neem tree, which includes bark, leaves, branches, fruit, roots, flowers, etc is beneficial. Check out the health and nutrition benefits of neem.

Health & Medicinal Benefits of Neem 

• Neem has anti bacterial, anti parasitic, anti fungal, anti protozoal and anti viral properties, which means it provides protection from almost all microorganisms.
• Applying neem in the form of powder or oil on external cuts or wounds has exceptional results. It fights off all kinds of germs and enables in the easy recovery of the affected area.
• It is very common to take bath in water that has neem leaves added to it. It has medicinal properties and gets rid of all the germs that may be thriving on our bodies.
• Neem powder or oil is very effective in relieving us of skin ailments such as eczema, acne, skin allergy, rashes, itch, ringworms, etc.
• Neem water is very effective when used to treat injuries caused due to burns. It heals up skin fast and prevents the creation of any kind of an allergy or infection.
• Neem oil, when used as a substitute for hair oil, provides amazing results. It prevents hair from graying and also effective in treating dandruff, lice and hair fall.
• Neem oil can be used to massage muscle aches and joints and can be used to relieve pain from conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, gout, Osteoarthritis, lower back pain, etc.
• Ingesting neem is beneficial in many ways as it helps to restore the taste of mouth, cures constipation and relieves of indigestion. It also eliminated the problem of acidity.
• Eating neem will help get rid of intestinal worms, thus performing its role as a de-worming agent and will help restore healthy functioning of the intestines.
• Taking neem internally is said to effectively improve the quality of blood and purifies and thickens it. It helps getting rid of toxins that may be present in the blood and keeps the body disease-free.
• Neem is said to be a very effective medicine for people suffering from diabetes and helps to control blood sugar levels to a great extent.
• Neem has the ability to make the immune system of a body very strong and get rid off any foreign disease that may weaken the body. source : Link

More : 

In India, the tree is variously known as "Sacred Tree," "Heal All," "Nature's Drugstore," "Village Pharmacy" and "Panacea for all diseases." Products made from neem tree have been used in India for over two millennia for their medicinal properties: Neem products have been observed to be anthelmintic, antifungal, antidiabetic, antibacterial, antiviral, contraceptive andsedative. Neem products are also used in selectively controlling pests in plants. It is considered a major component in Ayurvedic and Unani medicine and is particularly prescribed for skin disease.

• All parts of the tree are said to have medicinal properties (seeds, leaves, flowers and bark) and are used for preparing many different medical preparations.
• Neem oil is used for preparing cosmetics (soap, neem shampoo - Sunsan herbal, balms and creams, for example Margo soap), and is useful for skin care such as acne treatment, and keeping skin elasticity. Neem oil has been found to be an effective mosquito repellent.
• Neem derivatives neutralise nearly 500 pests worldwide, including insects, mites, ticks, and nematodes, by affecting their behaviour and physiology. Neem does not normally kill pests right away, rather it repels them and affects their growth. As neem products are cheap and non-toxic to higher animals and most beneficial insects, they are well-suited for pest control in rural areas.
• Besides its use in traditional Indian medicine, the neem tree is of great importance for its anti-desertification properties and possibly as a good carbon dioxide sink.
• Practitioners of traditional Indian medicine recommend that patients suffering from chicken pox sleep on neem leaves.
• Neem gum is used as a bulking agent and for the preparation of special purpose food (for diabetics).
• Aqueous extracts of neem leaves have demonstrated significant antidiabetic potential.
• Traditionally, slender neem branches were chewed in order to clean one's teeth. Neem twigs are still collected and sold in markets for this use, and in India one often sees youngsters in the streets chewing on neem twigs.
• A decoction prepared from neem roots is ingested to relieve fever in traditional Indian medicine.
• Neem leaf paste is applied to the skin to treat acne, and in a similar vein is used for measles and chicken pox sufferers.
• Neem blossoms are used in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to prepare Ugadi pachhadi. "Bevina hoovina gojju" (a type of curry prepared with neem blossoms) is common in Karnataka throughout the year. Dried blossoms are used when fresh blossoms are not available. In Tamilnadu, a rasam (veppam poo rasam) made with neem blossoms is a culinary speciality.
• A mixture of neem flowers and bella (jaggery or unrefined brown sugar) is prepared and offered to friends and relatives, symbolic of sweet and bitter events in the upcoming new year.

Extract of neem leaves is thought to be helpful as malaria prophylaxis despite the fact that no comprehensive clinical studies are yet available. In several cases, private initiatives in Senegal were successful in preventing malaria. However, major NGOs such as USAID are not supposed to use neem tree extracts unless the medical benefit has been proved with clinical studies.

Uses in pest and disease control

Neem is deemed very effective in the treatment of scabies, although only preliminary scientific proof, which still has to be corroborated, exists, and is recommended for those who are sensitive to permethrin, a known insecticide which might be an irritant. Also, the scabies mite has yet to become resistant to neem, so in persistent cases neem has been shown to be very effective. There is also anecdotal evidence of its effectiveness in treating infestations of head lice in human. source : Link