Table of contents:
- A glimpse of the neem plant
- The parts of the neem tree and their myriad of functions
- What are the functions of neem leaves for the body?
- 1. Antioxidants
- 2. Anticancer
- 3. Antimicrobial
Leaves or neem leaves which in English are called neem tree is a plant that has millions of benefits. Not only the leaves, it turns out that one neem tree from its bark, seeds, roots, flowers, and fruit can be used for health. What are the benefits? Check it out below.
A glimpse of the neem plant
The neem plant which has its real name Azadirachta indica is a plant that is found in tropical countries such as India, Pakistan and Indonesia.
This plant can be found in almost all regions. Almost all parts of the neem tree have medicinal properties. Often parts of the neem plant are made into extracts, oil, or boiled to drink the water.
The parts of the neem tree and their myriad of functions
The leaves of neem are used for leprosy, eye disorders, nosebleeds, intestinal worms, stomach pain, loss of appetite, symptoms of ulcers, heart disease, heart disease, fever, gum disease, and liver disease.
The extract from the bark is used to help treat malaria, skin diseases, pain and fever. The bark of the neem tree at certain times of the year produces large amounts of liquid. This fluid is drunk as a medicine for stomach disease in India.
Flowers from this tree can also be used to help treat hemorrhoids (hemorrhoids), intestinal worms, urinary tract disorders, sputum, wounds, and leprosy.
Neem tree branches are used to help treat coughs and asthma. The seeds and seed oil of this tree are used to help cure leprosy and intestinal worms. The trunk, roots, and fruit of this tree can be used as face tonic.
What are the functions of neem leaves for the body?
1. Antioxidants
Antioxidants help protect all your cells from the effects of free radicals. Neem leaves contain lots of flavonoids such as quercetin, catechins, carotene, ascorbic acid. All of these components are a source of antioxidants. No wonder the neem plant is also often used as a skin medicine. Moreover, the neem leaves have very high antioxidant properties.
These compounds help reduce the damage to dead skin cells. In fact, the antioxidants in the neem plant are also an antiseptic so that they can help treat acne and redness on facial skin.
2. Anticancer
Neem leaves can be used as a drug to prevent cancer. The administration of extracts from neem leaves can effectively suppress carcinogenic properties in the body.
Reported on the Livestrong page, extracts from neem leaves are thought to have the potential to have anticancer properties, which help prevent or slow down the growth of several types of cancer cells.
A 2012 study in the Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics found that cervical cancer sufferers who were treated with medical treatment and neem extracts could prevent the increase in cancer cell severity and thus lower the risk of death from cervical cancer. Meanwhile, another study reported that neem extract had an anticancer effect on the growth of prostate cancer cells.
3. Antimicrobial
Neem leaves have antimicrobial properties that have the potential to help prevent or slow down the growth of bad microbes (germs). Research in the Dental Journal in 2011 showed that neem oil made from the seeds of the neem tree can reduce the growth of microorganisms in the oral cavity.
Neem leaves also contain bioactive compounds called alkaloids, steroids, and flavonoids, and tannins that can inhibit bacterial growth. Salmonella and E. Coli .
