It was known from ancient times that the neem tree is considered to be the good healer for all illnesses and is described as “Sarva Roga Nivarini”. The complete parts of the tree have their medicinal value and are considered to be “village pharmacy”. From olden days till now many parts of our country the neem sticks are used as toothbrushes, the leaves for skin ailments, the flowers for aromatherapy and finally the fruits and seeds for the preparation of this marvelous neem oil. Nowadays as people are very much preferring to organic products, this neem oil is used as one of the ingredients in various products like shampoos, soaps, gels, oils, etc. Not only as an ingredient but neem oil can also be used directly along with the base oil like sesame oil or almond oil irrespective of age, gender, and skin type.
Extraction
- The seeds are collected from the neem fruit and then dried.
- The husks of the seeds are removed to obtain kernels.
- These kernels are then pressed to obtain the oil.
- The color and odor of the oil depend on the quality of the kernels.
Pharmacological properties
- Antiseptic property
- Antiviral property
- Antioxidant property
- Antifungal property
- Antibacterial property
Uses of neem oil for hair
Neem oil is considered to be nature’s gift to cure all sorts of scalp and hair problems. The various uses of neem oil for the hair are as follows:
- Improves hair growth – The regenerative property of the neem oil helps to increase cell division and accelerate the growth and function of the hair follicles.
- Revitalization of hair – The presence of fatty acids such as oleic acid, linoleic acid, stearic acid in the neem oil helps to restore and revitalize rough, dry, and undernourished hair.
- Removes dandruff – Dandruff is caused by the fungi Candida. As neem oil has antifungal properties, it is considered to be an effective relief for dandruff.
- Prevents head lice – Azadirachtin, one of the compounds in the neem oil hinders the growth, reproduction of the lice and kills them.
- Premature greying and baldness – Premature greying caused by hormonal imbalance can be cured with the regular treatment of neem oil. Baldness is mainly caused due to the infection occurring in the scalp like psoriasis. Neem oil which has many pharmacological properties helps to treat most scalp infections thereby preventing baldness.
Uses of neem oil for skin and face
Neem oil is considered to be of good medicinal value, is also used along with body massage oil may increase collagen production thereby delaying wrinkle formation. This is also used for the effective treatment of skin disease and infection. The various uses are as follows:
- Prevents moisture loss – Neem oil may contain vitamin E and many fatty acids which helps to penetrate deeply to the skin and helps to regain the protective layer of the skin leading to the reduction in moisture loss.
- Reduce skin problem – The production of histamine that causes swelling in the skin can be inhibited by applying neem oil. Also, this neem oil contains nimbidin which is an anti-inflammatory compound that is effective in treating dermatitis and eczema.
- Healing of wounds – Neem oil increases the healing process of wounds and abrasions due to its antiseptic properties.
- Repellent – It is an effective mosquito repellent and is used by applying it to the skin.
- Reduces Hyperpigmentation – Neem oil helps in reducing the production of melanin pigment.
- Prevents the skin from environmental issues – Neem oil when applied on the skin forms a protective layer that may act against UV rays.