Neem oil

Neem tree ( Azadirachta indica )

Neem oil

Neem oil (also neem oil or neem oil ) is a vegetable oil obtained from the seeds of the drupes of the Indian neem tree is recovered. The greenish-yellow to brownish oil has a strong smell of onions, garlic and sulfur, and a bitter taste.

Areas of application

Due to its insecticidal effect, it is used, among other things, as an aqueous emulsion to combat pests on plants and parasites on humans and animals. Azadirachtin- containing or neem-containing plant protection products are permitted in Germany, Austria and Switzerland . Personal care products such as soap or shampoos with neem extracts are also on the market. One product used to combat head lice is Niemolind . The residue from pressing (the press cake ) is used as a mild fertilizer with an insecticidal effect and even as animal feed.

Neem oil is usually described as harmless to the health of warm-blooded animals , but the possibility of side effects should not be completely disregarded, especially since toxins such as mold can get into the product through improper oil extraction and storage .

Its use in connection with house dust mite allergy is controversial.

Effect as an insecticide

Azadirachtin , the main active ingredient in the oil, affects the hormonal balance of the pests by disrupting the synthesis of chitin . This prevents the larvae from moulting and pupating successfully. This prevents the insect larvae from moving on to the next step in the growth cycle. Eating pests are partially deterred, but the toxic effect against adult insects is low.

Web links

• Health Risks of Using Neem Oil Against Spider Mites. (PDF; 16 kB) Statement by the Federal Institute for Consumer Health Protection and Veterinary Medicine
• Allum: neem oil

literature

• Sabine Schmidt: A new effective therapy for house dust mite allergy on the market? In: Pädiatrische Allergologie , 5/3, 2002, pp. 31–34.
• Sabine Schmidt / in cooperation with members of the Scientific Forum of the DISA: Neem Tree Oil - Miracle Cure against House Dust Mites? In: Pädiatrische Allergologie , 2/2, 1999, pp. 20-23.
• Sabine Schmidt: Effectiveness of bedding "sealed" with neem tree oil in house dust mite remediation. In: Medicines, Therapy Criticism , 32, 2000, pp. 377-382.
• Sabine Krist: Lexicon of vegetable fats and oils. 2nd Edition. Springer, 2013, ISBN 978-3-7091-1004-1 , pp. 517-524.

Individual evidence

1. ^ Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety of the European Commission: Entry on Azadirachtin (Margosa extract) in the EU pesticide database; Entry in the national registers of plant protection products in Switzerland , Austria and Germany ; accessed on March 13, 2016.
2. ↑ Allum: Neem Oil .

This article is about a health issue. It is not used for self-diagnosis and does not replace a diagnosis by a doctor. Please note the information on health issues !