What is Neem Oil?
Neem oil is a naturally-occurring pesticide found in seeds from the neem tree, boasting yellow/brown coloring and exhibiting a bitter taste and a garlic/sulfur odor. For hundreds of years, it has been used to control pets and diseases, with the components of neem oil found in many products today – including toothpaste, cosmetics, soaps and pet shampoos. Furthermore, neem oil remains the most important of the commercially-available products used for organic farming and medicines, and is also known as Veppennai.
Because it is hydrophobic in nature, it is formulated with surfactants in order to emulsify it in water for application purposes.
Azadirachtin is the most popular and most studied triterpenoid in neem oil, with nimbin being another triterpenoid that has been created with some of neem oil’s properties as an antiseptic, antifungal, antipyretic and antihistamine. Additionally, it contains several sterols, including campesterol, beta-sitosterol and stogmasterol.
Extraction Method
The method of processing neem oil affects the composition of the oil, being that the methods used – such as pressing (expelling) or solvent extraction/standard cold pressed method – are unlikely to remove precisely the same mix of components in the same proportions. As such, the oil yield that can be obtained from neem seed kernels also varies widely, according to many sources, from 25 to 45-percent.
The oil can be obtained through pressing (crushing) of the seed kernel both via cold pressing or through a process encompassing temperature controls between 40-degrees Celsius and 50-degrees Celsius. Hence, it is also referred to as “cold pressed neem oil.”
Neem Oil Uses
Dating back centuries, neem oil has been used to battle chronic skin conditions, repel insects and more, and as a large evergreen tree endemic to the Indian subcontinent – prized for its medicinal value – neem itself was introduced to many areas of the tropics, the neem tree having been a mainstay in Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani medicine for thousands of years.
Neem provides useful, safe and versatile plant-based medicine, with the extract of the neem leaf representing a potent antioxidant used internally as an antimicrobial as well as an anti-inflammatory and antipyretic. What’s more, there are a number of studies which have been looking at its use as a cancer-preventer (x).
But because of its potency, it is important that practitioners and consumers alike know and understand what part of this plant they are using and how to properly use it.
Eighty-percent of India’s supply of teh oil is used by neem oil soap manufacturers, creating a product that’s not only antimicrobial but one that is soothing and moisturizing. Additionally, it boasts a formidable spectrum of preventative and curative uses, as it can be applied topically to fungal and bacterial skin infections, as well as used to heal skin disorders of just about every type.
Neem Oil for Skin
There are some reports of neem oil perhaps having a positive effect on chronic skin conditions, as we alluded to above, that have not been successfully remedied via conventional medical treatments – a list that includes acne, dry skin, dandruff, psoriasis, eczema, herpes and ringworm (all of which have been shown to respond to neem oil salves and lotions). (x) (xx).
Neem oil also tends to work as a natural substitute for anti-aging products and as a protective agent against skin damage caused by UV rays. It deeply penetrates skin to restore moisture, enhance elasticity, smooth wrinkles, stimulate collagen production and heal cracks caused by dryness.
Bulk Supplements Fun Fact: Its ability to unclog pores and follicles while soothing irritated skin without leaving a greasy residue behind makes neem oil an effective agent for acne-prone skin.
Neem Oil for Hair
In hair, neem oil tends to naturally remove dandruff and balances the hair’s natural pH level, preventing future dandruff from taking hold. It not only detangles hair, but it prevents the thinning process caused by pollution, stress or medication via the promotion of stronger, tamer hair.
Anecdotal reports suggest that neem oil can:
- Condition the scalp
- Promote healthy hair growth
- Temporarily seal hair follicles
- Soothe frizz
- Minimize grays
- Reduce dandruff
- Treat head lice
Further, neem oil is rich in:
Bulk Supplements Fun Fact: Vitamin E and other antioxidants can help skin cells regenerate, and this may promote a healthier scalp, subsequently minimizing dandruff and resulting in healthier hair. (x) (xx)
Used medicinally, it contains components that help prevent and eliminate fungal infections by way of soothing the irritation and eradicating the bacteria that causes them; in this way, the oil can calm skin ailments such as ring worm, Athlete’s Foot, nail fungus and cold sores.
Let’s break down what we just covered into two separate groups:
Neem oil is reputed to boast many therapeutic properties, and the following highlights its many benefits and the kinds of activity it is believed to show.
- Cosmetic – This includes anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, astringent, regulating, pedicullicidal and moisturizing properties.
- Medicinal – This includes antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, antiseptic, antipyretic antihistamine, analgesic, astringent, anthelmintic, diuretic, emmenagogue, febrifuge, parasitical and pedicullicidal elements.
Neem Oil Benefits
Often called a “wonder plant” that may help “kick acne to the curb,” neem and its derivative oil was one of the most-searched skincare ingredients back in 2018 (x) – and there’s a good reason for this beyond the arbitrary.
Below is a summary of the top beauty benefits of neem oil, so you can have something of a “one-stop-shop” to your approach when considering this supplement.
- Gets rid of dandruff
- Encourages hair health and growth
- Treats dry skin
- Fights the appearance of wrinkles
- Treats acne
- Fades scars
- Fights off foot fungus
Is Neem Oil Safe?
The only time we really see discussions of the oil being safe is when the topic of pesticides is brought up; in the garden, it plays an important role as a foliar spray, which has been shown to be most useful when applied to young plant growth. The oil has a half-life of three to 22 days in soil, but only 45 minutes to four days in water. Furthermore, it is nearly non-toxic to birds, fish, bees and wildlife, and studies have shown no cancer or other disease-causing results from its use.
This makes neem oil very safe to use if applied properly.
Bottom Line
Neem oil is a naturally-occurring pesticide found in seeds from the neem tree, boasting yellow/brown coloring and exhibiting a bitter taste and a garlic/sulfur odor. For hundreds of years, it has been used to control pets and diseases, with the components of the oil found in many products today – including toothpaste, cosmetics, soaps and pet shampoos. Furthermore, neem oil remains the most important of the commercially-available products used for organic farming and medicines, and is also known as Veppennai.
Because it is hydrophobic in nature, the oil is formulated with surfactants in order to emulsify it in water for application purposes.
Azadirachtin is the most popular and most studied triterpenoid in neem oil, with nimbin being another triterpenoid that has been created with some of neem oil’s properties as an antiseptic, antifungal, antipyretic and antihistamine. Additionally, neem oil contains several sterols, including campesterol, beta-sitosterol and stogmasterol.
Dating back centuries, neem oil has been used to battle chronic skin conditions, repel insects and more, and as a large evergreen tree endemic to the Indian subcontinent – prized for its medicinal value – neem itself was introduced to many areas of the tropics, the neem tree having been a mainstay in Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani medicine for thousands of years.
Neem provides useful, safe and versatile plant-based medicine, with the extract of the neem leaf representing a potent antioxidant used internally as an antimicrobial as well as an anti-inflammatory and antipyretic. What’s more, there are a number of studies which have been looking at its use as a cancer-preventer.
But because of its potency, it is important that practitioners and consumers alike know and understand what part of this plant they are using and how to properly use it.
Eighty-percent of India’s supply of neem oil is used by neem oil soap manufacturers, creating a product that’s not only antimicrobial but one that is soothing and moisturizing. Additionally, neem oil boasts a formidable spectrum of preventative and curative uses, as it can be applied topically to fungal and bacterial skin infections, as well as used to heal skin disorders of just about every type.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and these products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
