🔘 Nimba

Nimba

👉 Basonym of Drug:

• निम्बति सिञ्चति स्वास्थ्यमिति, स्वस्थवृत्तिकरमिति यावत् ।

- Nimba (Azadirachta indica) is very useful drug, which maintains health.

👉 Synonyms:

1. हिमुनिर्यासः-

The exudate from Nimba resemble Hingu Niryāsa

(Gum of Ferula narthex).

2. अरिष्टः- 

Nimba cures many diseases, does good always if used.

3. कृमिघ्न :- 

Very efficacious in helminthiasis.

4.नियमन-

Nimba alleviates many diseases.

5.पारिभद्र-

If used, Nimba always does good.

6. पिचुमर्दः-

Nimba is very efficacious drug when it comes to skin diseases. 

7. सुतिक्तकः- 

Nimba is one of the best among drugs having bitter taste.

8. वरत्वच:- 

Bark of Nimba is very useful.

👉 Regional Name:

English  - Neem tree or Margosa tree

Hindi - Nim

Kannada Bevina Mara

Malayalam - Veppu

Marathi - Kadunimba

👉 Botanical Name- Azadirachta indica Juss.

• Azadirachta- Persian name meaning best tree

• indica- Native of India.

👉 Family- Meliaceae

👉 Kula- Nimba kula.

👉 Gana vargikarana (Classical categorization): 

• Charaka - Kandughna varga

• Susruta-

- Aragvadhadi gana

- Guduchyadi gana

- Lakshadi gana

• Bhavaprakasa Nighantu - Guducyadi varga.

👉 Taxonomy Classification:

Kingdom - Plant

Class - Dicotyledons

Sub class -  Polypetalae

Series - Disciflorae

Order - Geraniales

Family - Meliaceae

Genus - Azadirachta

Species - indica

👉 Habitat:

Nimba (Neem) tree grows all over India. It is commonly planted as avenue trees.

👉 Types:

1. Nimba - Azadirachta indica

2. Mahanimba - Melia azadirachta

3. Parvata Nimba (Aralu) Ailanthes excelsa

4. Akasha Nimba - Malingtonia horensis.

👉  Rasapanchaka:

निम्बः शीतो लघु ग्राहीकटुपाकोऽग्निवातनुत् ।

अहृद्य श्रमतृट्कासज्वरारुचिकृमिप्रणुत् ।।

व्रणपित्तकफच्छर्दिकुष्ठहृल्लासमेहनुत्

        - भा.प्र. गुडूच्यादि वर्ग ९४

Rasa - Tikta Kasaya

Guņa - Laghu Ruksa

Vipāka - Katu

Virya - Sita

Action on Dosa - Pitta kapha samaka.

👉 Action :-

Krimighna - vermicidal

Kusthaghna - useful in skin diseases.

Vranaghna - wound healing

Raktashodhak - blood purifier

Sothahara - relieves inflammation.

- Neem leaf is used for leprosy, eye disorders, bloody nose, intestinal worms, stomach upset, loss of appetite, skin ulcers, diseases of the heart and blood vessels (cardiovascular disease), fever, diabetes, gum disease (gingivitis), and liver problems.

- The bark is used for malaria, stomach and intestinal ulcers, skin diseases, pain, and fever.

- Neem twigs are used for cough, asthma, hemorrhoids, intestinal worms, low sperm levels, urinary disorders, and diabetes. 

- The flower is used for reducing bile, controlling phlegm, and treating intestinal worms.

👉 Contraindications of Nimba:-

- Nimba can lower blood glucose levels; so if person is on fasting it is better to avoid oral intake of it.

- People with diabetes should use nimba only under medical supervision, with constant blood sugar level monitoring.

- Because nimba reduces blood sugar, If a diabetic person is already taking medications for zamd, consuming nimba along with it may cause very low blood sugar.

- Nimba should not be taken during childhood, pregnancy or lactating without advice of doctor.

- It is Contraindicated in Autoimmune diseases such as; Multiple sclerosis, Systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis etc. conditions.

- Nimba cause the immune system to become more active, this could increase the symptoms of auto immune diseases.

- Aragwadhadi kashaya (in which nimba is one of the content) is causes gastritis if taken in very high dose

- Lakshadi guggulu also contraindicated in pregnancy and person with heart disease

👉 Matra (Dosage):

Swarasa (Juice) - 10 to 20 ml

Kalka (Paste) – 10 to 20 g

Kasaya (Decoction) - 50 to 100 ml

Curna (Powder) - 2 to 4 g

Taila (Oil) - 5 to 10 drops.

👉 Chemical Composition:

- Bark of Nimba contain Azadirachtin, Salanin, Nimbidin, Nimbin, Nimbinin, Volatile oil, Nibosterol, Tanin and bitter substance margostine

- Seed oil contain sulphar, resin, glucosides, fatty acids

- Leaves contain nimbin , azadirone, the flavanoid quercetin, nimbosterol, limonoids

- Flowers contain nimbosterol , kaempferol.

- Fruits contain azadiradione , azadirone

👉 Pharmacological action :

Antipyretic

Anti-diabetic

Antioxidant

Antibacterial

 Antiviral

Antiplasmodial

Fungicidal

👉 Yoga (Important formulation):

1. Nimbadi curņa - Kustha, Vatarakta

2. Nimbadi kwatha - Kapha jwara, Pitta soth

3. Nimbamritadi kasaya  - Visphota

4. Panchanimba curna  - Sarvakustha, Visarpa

5. Tiktaka ghrta - Kustha, Visarpa

6. Pancatikta ghrata guggulu  - Kustha, Prameha.

👉 Effect of Chemical constituents of Nimba:

- Neem plays role as free radical scavenging properties due to rich source of antioxidant. 

- Azadirachtin and nimbolide showed concentration-dependent antiradical scavenging activity and reductive potential in the following order: 

Nimbolide > Azadirachtin > Ascorbate

- Neem ingredient shows effective role in the management of cancer through the regulation of cell signaling pathways. 

- Neem modulates the activity of various tumour suppressor genes, angiogenesis (VEGF), transcription factors (e.g., NF-κB), and apoptosis (e.g., bcl2, bax).

- Neem also plays role as anti-inflammatory via regulation of proinflammatory enzyme activities including cyclooxygenase (COX), and lipoxygenase (LOX) enzyme.