Benefits of Neem Tea

The herb neem has been used in ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years to treat a wide range of ailments due to its extensive healing properties; there are 150 active substances in neem. It is non-toxic to humans, but highly toxic to insects, making it an ideal insecticide. To be sure, the taste of neem tea is an acquired one, but for many, the antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic, anti-protozoan and antiviral properties make the adjustment worthwhile.

Antibacterial Uses

Neem is used to treat bad breath and gum disease and to prevent cavities. It is used as an ingredient in a variety of oral care products sold worldwide. In India, people chew on neem twigs. According to a study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in 2004, drinking neem tea and brushing your teeth with neem gel has been shown to reduce the prevalence of bacterial growth in the mouth by up to 50 percent.

Antifungal Uses

In the treatment of fungal infections, neem is most effective when used both internally as a tea and externally as a cream. Together, these two forms of neem kill the fungus that causes yeast infections, jock itch, thrush and ringworm.

Anti-parastic Uses

Neem contains hormones that disrupt the feeding and reproducive patterns of body lice. Instead of drinking neem tea, to combat parasites it is more effective to bathe in it. It will soothe the skin by promoting the healing of open wounds and acting as an antiseptic while killing the parasites.

Anti-protozoan Uses

Neem tea is an effective tonic for both indigestion and constipation because of the content of tict rasa. This also makes neem an effective de-worming compound. Neem aids in reducing swelling of the stomach and intestinal tract. In fact, neem is effective at reducing swelling and inflammation in all regions of the body.

Antiviral Uses

Neem tea, when used in combination with neem cream, speeds up the healing time and pain associated with herpes simplex 1, herpes zoster and warts. The Malaria Research Center in Jabalpur, India, mixed neem with coconut oil extract and applied it to the skin of human subjects. They found an 81 to 91 percent rate of effectiveness against mosquitoes over a period of 12 hours; neem is used to prevent malaria in certain regions of the world. Neem is used as a blood purifier due to its ability to remove toxins from the blood and thereby increase liver function.

Contraceptive Uses

Since ancient times, neem has been thought to possess spermicidal properties both pre- and post-intercourse. Charaka, an Indian doctor practicing in the first century B.C., recommended that a cloth soaked in neem oil be placed in the vagina for 15 minutes prior to sex to kill sperm. Modern research suggests that neem does indeed kill sperm within seconds after contact and that the protection lasts for five hours. The downside is that it has a very pungent odor. More research is needed before neem can be considered a safe and effective means of contraception.