![[Skip to navigation]](../img/transparent.gif){kind=small}
Neem
Neem has been labelled the wonder tree of the humid tropics. In India there are more than 20 million trees. Many parts of the neem tree have antimicrobial properties. They provide effective ingredients for traditional and modern toothpastes, medicines, cosmetics and insect repellents in South Asia.
Fighting disease
In praise of neem's medicinal virtues, an old Indian proverb says:
"The land where the neem tree abound,
Can death, disease there be found?" It has been widely valued for over 4000 years.
"The land where the neem tree abound,
Can death, disease there be found?" It has been widely valued for over 4000 years.
Insect repellent
Neem insecticides are active against more than 200 different types of insects including head lice, fleas, locusts and mosquitoes.
Divine tree
Neem is thought to be of divine origin in Hindu mythology.
Neem oil
Most of the antimicrobial oil from neem seeds goes into soap in India. Seed oil is also used in shampoos and toothpastes. Today, seed oil is usually obtained using solvent extraction or large mechanical expellers, but some farmers still use traditional pressing methods.
