Azadirachta indica
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Species name: Azadirachta indica
Neem is a tropical and sub-tropical plant which is highly drought resistant. The plant has several medicinal and commercial applications and finds significance in Hinduism. Neem cultivation also has a role to play in agriculture and pest management.
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Angiosperm phylogeny. This image is copyrighted. Rights owned by Theodore C.H.Cole (Heidelberg) and Hartmut H. Hilger (Berlin) 2010. Please obtain copyright permissions before reuse.
Click here for the PDF of the phylogeny
- Species identity and nomenclature
- Current Wikipedia entry
- Binomial Classification
- Morphological features
- Habitat and Geographical Spread
- Maps
- Medicinal Importance
- Cultural significance
- Commercial importance and cultivation
- Summary of PubMed articles
- Summary of NCBI molecular data
- External Links
- Images and Videos
| Parameter | Value(s) | References See complete references in the References section at the end |
|---|---|---|
| Names of users who have contributed to this species page | Gauravm | |
| Date on which this page was first created | 2010/08/12 | |
| This page was last modified on: | 2 October 2010 05:34:34 | |
| Name of the species | Azadirachta indica | |
| ID on Encyclopedia of Life | ||
| Synonyms | Please check Binomial Classification section for synonyms. | |
| Common English Names | Neem | |
| Common Hindi Names | नीम Neem | |
| Common Indian names | नीम Neem (Hindi); নীম Neem (Manipuri); Nimbay (Marathi);வேப்பை Veppai, Sengumaru (Tamil); Ariyaveppu (Malayalam); వెపా Vepa (Telugu); Turakabevu (Kannada); Neem (Bengali); Neem (Urdu); নীম Neem (Assamese); ધનુજઝાડ Dhanujhada, Limba (Gujarati); Pakvakrita, nimbaka (Sanskrit) | Flowers of India |
| Origins/Meanings of the common names |
Taxonomy from Encyclopedia of Life
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Taxonomy filled in form
Click here for the PDF of the phylogeny
| Taxon | Value |
|---|---|
| Regnum (Kingdom) | Plantae |
| Division | Magnoliophyta |
| Class | Magnoliopsida |
| Order | Sapindales |
| Family | Meliaceae |
| Genus | Azadirachta |
| Source of data | ' |
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| Division | Taxon details | Taxon morphology details |
|---|---|---|
| Magnoliophyta | Also called Angiospermae. The ancestors of flowering plants diverged from gymnosperms around 245–202 million years ago, and the first flowering plants known to exist are from 140 million years ago. They diversified enormously during the Lower Cretaceous and became widespread around 100 million years ago, but replaced conifers as the dominant trees only around 60-100 million years ago. | These are seed plants like Gymnosperms, but can be differentiated by the presence of flowers, seeds containing endosperm and seeds that produce a fruit. Angiosperms are the most diverse and highly evolutionarily successful group of land plants. |
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| Class | Taxon details | Taxon morphology details |
|---|---|---|
| Magnoliopsida | Magnoliopsida is the scientific name for dicots. This class contains about ~1,99,350 species of Angiosperms. Eudicots are a subset of Dicots. Based on chloroplast DNA sequences, the divergence date between monocots and dicots is estimated to be ~200 million years, with a 40 million years uncertainty. | Dicots are diverse in habit, with half of all the species being more or less woody-stemmed - a reflection of the usual presence of a vascular cambium in the class. Annuals, biennials, vines, epiphytes, aquatics, parasites, and saprotrophs are also well represented in dicots. Vascular bundles of the stem are usually borne in a ring that encloses the pith. Vessel elements present except in some putatively primitive woody or aquatic families. Most dicots have a primary root system derived from the radicle, although some have an adventitious root system commonly seen in the class of monocots. Cotyledons are usually 2, seldom 1, 3, or 4. Leaves are mostly net-veined. |
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Based on classification
More details can be found in the Binomial Classification section.
Morphology from Encyclopedia of Life
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General morphology
| Parameter | Value(s) | References See complete references in the References section at the end |
|---|---|---|
| General morphological features of the plant | Tree, up to 15 m tall. Branches glabrous. Leaves imparipinnate, pulvi¬nus at the base; leaflets alternate to opposite, 2.5-7 cm long, 1.5-4 cm broad, ovate, subsessile, acuminate. Flowers white, sweet-scented. Sepals obovate, 1.5 mm long, puberulous, imbricate. Petals 6 mm long, obvoate to oblong, white, margin ciliate. Staminal tube c. 5 mm long, puberulous, 10-striate, 10-toothed; teeth 2-lobed; anthers oblong, basifixed. Ovary sub-globose; style linear, c. 2.5 mm long; stigma trifid. Drupe oblong, 1.3-2 cm long, greenish-yellow, 1-seeded."Tree, up to 15 m tall. Branches glabrous. Leaves imparipinnate, pulvi¬nus at the base; leaflets alternate to opposite, 2.5-7 cm long, 1.5-4 cm broad, ovate, subsessile, acuminate. Flowers white, sweet-scented. Sepals obovate, 1.5 mm long, puberulous, imbricate. Petals 6 mm long, obvoate to oblong, white, margin ciliate. Staminal tube c. 5 mm long, puberulous, 10-striate, 10-toothed; teeth 2-lobed; anthers oblong, basifixed. Ovary sub-globose; style linear, c. 2.5 mm long; stigma trifid. Drupe oblong, 1.3-2 cm long, greenish-yellow, 1-seeded." cannot be used as a page name in this wiki. | Encyclopedia of Life |
| Seed dispersal mechanism | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bloom type | Perennial | |
| Life cycle of the plant |
How to identify this species
For a detailed description, refer to the General Morphology details above
| Parameter | Value(s) | References See complete references in the References section at the end |
|---|---|---|
| Type of plant | Woody (Tree/Shrub) | |
| Plant height | More than 10 feet | Gauravm |
| Flower color | White | |
| Flower shape | ||
| Floral symmetry | ||
| Phyllotaxy of leaves | Opposite | |
| Leaf shape | Pinnately compound | Wikipedia |
| Is the leaf petiolated or sessile? | Petiolated | Based on Commons Images |
| Is the leaf simple or compound? | Compound | Wikipedia |
| Parameter | Value(s) | References See complete references in the References section at the end |
|---|---|---|
| IUCN Conservation Status | Not Evaluated | EoL |
| Indian States in which the species has been documented | Assam,Andhra Pradesh,Arunachal Pradesh,Bihar,Chandigarh,Chhatisgarh,Delhi,Goa,Gujarat,Jammu and Kashmir,Karnataka,Kerala,Madhya Pradesh,Maharashtra,Manipur,Meghalaya,Mizoram,Orissa,Pondicherry,Punjab,Rajasthan,Tamil Nadu,Tripura,Uttarakhand,Uttar Pradesh,West Bengal | Plants Database, Gauravm |
| Locations at which the species has been documented | ||
| Biotic zones inhabited | Northeastern Himalayas, Northwestern Himalayas, Eastern Ghats, Western Ghats, Central Deccan Plateau, Indo-Gangetic Plain | Plants Database of India |
| Details about the habitat | Mainly a tropical and subtropical species, it grows mainly in low-lying areas and wooded areas in India and Sri Lanka. Neem is known to grow well under less water availability and thus is a hardy species. The species has been naturalized now in several other countries like Indonesia and Australia.
The plant is found growing along road sides, near temples, wooded areas, forest edges, gardens, deciduous forests etc. |
Herb2000, Plants Database of India |
| Is this species native to India? | Yes | Wikipedia |
| Is the species indigenous/endemic to Sub-Himalayan regions? | ||
| Is the species indigenous/endemic to Western Ghats? | ||
| Is the species indigenous/endemic to Eastern Ghats? |
More plants native to India
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If no maps are displayed below, it means the required data is absent. Click on "Edit with form" button on top of the page to add this information.
{{#generateMap:Assam,Andhra Pradesh,Arunachal Pradesh,Bihar,Chandigarh,Chhatisgarh,Delhi,Goa,Gujarat,Jammu and Kashmir,Karnataka,Kerala,Madhya Pradesh,Maharashtra,Manipur,Meghalaya,Mizoram,Orissa,Pondicherry,Punjab,Rajasthan,Tamil Nadu,Tripura,Uttarakhand,Uttar Pradesh,West Bengal|Azadirachtaindica_brahma.svg|align=center}}
| Parameter | Value(s) | References See complete references in the References section at the end |
|---|---|---|
| Does this species have any medicinal use? | Yes |
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Other plants of the same family having medicinal use:
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| Parameter | Value(s) | References See complete references in the References section at the end |
|---|---|---|
| General types of ailments this species is used for treating | Infectious diseases, Systemic disorders, Organ-specific disorders, Cancer | |
| Specific ailments for which the species is used | Malaria, Diabetes, Worms, Cardiovascular diseases, Skin diseases, Contraceptive, Antiulcer, Fungicidal | Drugs.com |
| Medicinal systems which use this plant | Ayurveda, Unani, Folk Medicine, Modern Medicine | Wikipedia |
| Details of Medicinal use | ||
| Parts of the plant used for treatment | Root, Stem, Bark, Leaves, Flower, Fruit, Seeds | Dr. Duke, Himalaya |
| Names of some medicinal active compounds in this plant, if known. | Azadirachtin, Beta-Sitosterol, Kaempferol, Quercitin, Myricetin, Nimbidin | Dr. Duke, Himalaya, Drugs.com, Google Scholar |
| Details of the active chemical compounds found in this plant | While the chemicals from Neem oil are known, their molecular basis of action is still unknown.
Over 700 medicinal preparations have been described in ethnobotanical medicinal systems using Neem. Several sterols and terpenoids have been found in different parts of the Neem plant. Beta-Sitosterol, KAEMPFEROL, QUERCETIN, MYRICETIN present in the flower and leaf, Azadirachtin, NIMBIDIN present in the seed and stem bark have medicinal values, along with several other chemicals cited in the references. These chemicals can be extracted in the Neem oil, obtained from seed and fruit of the plant. |
Dr. Duke, Himalaya, Drugs.com, Google Scholar |
| Is the molecular basis of the medicinal action known? | Yes | |
| Details of molecular basis of action | ||
| Are the toxic effects of consumption of this plant known? | Yes | Drugs.com |
| Details of the toxic effects of the plant species | Large doses of Neem seeds are reported to have toxic effects on children. No effects have been found in adults. | Drugs.com |
| Have there been validation/clinical studies related to this plant? | Yes | Himalaya |
| Details of the clinical studies related to the plant species | Clinical trials were conducted on 9 patients of congestive heart failure with anasarca to study the diuretic effect of sodium nimbidinate. Four other patients were also studied as controls on the same lines with bed rest, low sodium diet and adequate digitalization without any diuretic. Eight of the patients showed a definite diuretic response. The control group did not show any diuresis. No toxic reaction was noted except local discomfort or slight pain. | Himalaya |
| Parameter | Value(s) | References See complete references in the References section at the end |
|---|---|---|
| Is this plant/plant-derived product used in food preparations? | Yes | User-reported |
| Part(s) of the plant used in the food preparations | Stem, Flower | |
| Details of use in food preparations | The tender shoots and flowers of the neem tree are eaten as a vegetable in India. Neem flowers are very popular for their use in Ugadi Pachhadi (soup-like pickle), which is made on Ugadi day in the South Indian States of Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu and Karnataka. A souplike dish called Veppampoo Rasam (Tamil) (translated as "neem flower rasam") made of the flower of neem is prepared in Tamil Nadu. | |
| Does this species have any religious significance? | Yes | User-reported |
| Religions which mention/give significance to this species | Hinduism | Gauravm |
| Religious occasions | Gudhi Padwa, Mariamman | Wikipedia |
| Details of religious use | [[Religious use description::Neem leaf or bark is considered an effective पित्त pitta (heat) pacifier due to its bitter taste. Hence, it is traditionally recommended during early summer in Ayurveda, and during Gudi Padva, which is the New Year in the state of Maharashtra, 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 heat. In Tamil Nadu during the summer months of April to June, the Mariamman temple festival is a thousand year old tradition. The Neem leaves and flowers are the most important part of the Mariamman festival. The goddess Mariamman statue will be garlanded with Neem leaves and flowers. During most occasions of celebrations and weddings the people of Tamilnadu adorn their surroundings with the Neem leaves and flowers as a form of decoration and also to ward off evil spirits and infections.]] | Wikipedia |
| Parameter | Value(s) | References See complete references in the References section at the end |
|---|---|---|
| Is this plant cultivated commercially in India? | Yes | Gauravm |
| Uses for which the plant is commercially cultivated | Human consumption, Agricultural use, Medicinal use, Cosmetic use, Religious use | Gauravm |
| Plant parts of commercial value | Root, Stem, Bark, Leaves, Flower, Fruit, Seeds | Based on Himalaya |
| Products where this plant is used | User-reported | |
| Description of use | Neem leaf and stem extracts are used for medicinal purposes as noted above. Due to insect-repellant properties of Azadirachtin, it is often put in stores grains to prevent pest infestation. Neem extracts are also used in cosmetic products such as shampoos, creams and soaps. | Himalaya, Google |
| States where this plant is cultivated commercially | ||
| Best period for planting this plant | ||
| Best period for harvesting this plant | ||
| Method of propagation | ||
| Water requirement of this plant | Low | Wikipedia |
| Pests and Diseases affecting this plant during cultivation | ||
| Other considerations while cultivating this plant |
Pubmed Word cloud
This word cloud is obtained using the tool LigerCat by searching the Pubmed database. LigerCat builds the cloud from the most relevant Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms. Each term's relative size indicates how many times it appears in the PubMed search results. Click on a term to access the full LigerCat cloud, with live PubMed search capabilities. LigerCat has been developed for the Biology of Aging Project.
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- If there is an error message below, it means that there is no retrievable information available on NCBI
- If the number of nucleotide sequences is less than 100, very little genomic work has been done on this species. A respectable number of nucleotide sequences is above 10000.
- Most of the nucleotide sequences may come from three sources:
- Studies on single genes, where people try to sequence genes such as some specific dehydrogenases important,say, for tannin production
- Sequences of Ribosomal Internal Transcribed Spacer, whose sequence is used for generating molecular phylogenetic trees to establish species relationships
- Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) which can tell about which genes are present and expressed in the species at a particular time in the given tissue
{{#queryDB:taxonomy |Azadirachta indica }}
| Parameter | Value(s) | References See complete references in the References section at the end |
|---|---|---|
| Details of modern scientific knowledge available for this species | Microsatellite DNA sequences are available in NCBI Entrez (Aug 12, 2010). However a large amount of pharmacological information is available about the constituents and effects of Neem oil (Wikipedia). Most studies have specifically studies Azadirachtin or whole seed oil. Not a lot is known about the molecular basis of action of these chemicals. | NCBI Taxonomy, Wikipedia, Google Scholar |
| Are herbarium specimen available for this species? | ||
| Institutes having herbarium samples |
If nothing is displayed in this section, it means the EoL ID has not been defined. Please click on Edit with form button on top and follow the instructions for filling in the EoL ID
{{#EoLOnlyAdditionalInfo:}}
References
Dr. Duke (Web): Chemicals present in Neem, Accessdate=2010-08-12
Himalaya (Web): Herbal Monographs:Neem, Accessdate=2010-08-12
Drugs.com (Web): Neem entry on Drugs.com, Accessdate=2010-08-10
Herb2000 (Web): Herbs2000 entry on Neem, Accessdate=2010-08-13
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