NEEM -3

 NEEM -3

The grandeur of Neem is not a matter of any push over in the sense that the tree serves humanity in ways known and unknown to us. Its dimensions include social, cultural, religious, spiritual, medicinal and  ritual facets. Every social arrangement has a place of pride for this tree.

Much of the deep faith placed on this tree is based on its ability to serve as an anti-microbial agent; I would go a little beyond to name its potential as ‘Anti-biotic’, as several insects , bacteria and fungi that readily invade any wood [except Teak and a few other wood types] rarely manage to ‘attack’ even fallen wood of ‘Neem’. So, it holds a wealth of chemical compounds that serve to protect varied items of value to human life.

 Neem gum

It is a well-known natural exudate from living mature trees upon physical injury to the wood. Chemically it is a ‘resin’ used as a binder and in Silk dyeing. Besides, it is an agent used in medicine to serve as a slow-releasing agent and as a film coat.

Pest and disease control

Azadirachtin –a natural compound in ‘neem’ is a powerful insecticide and is sprayed as a water-based product on crops.

Neem cake [solid residue from oil extraction] is used as a fertilizer both to add nutrients to soil and also as repellent of several worms and pests in land.

Bio-pesticide

Neem seed extracts contain limonoid triterpenes that are effective in containing ‘destroying pathogens’. Advanced approaches are used to extract the compound to derive absolutely aseptic products to enhance their efficacy as bio-pesticide.

These are some major aspects for the benefit of humanity from ‘Neem’. 

Please await a SPECIAL posting tomorrow [special , as it appears on saturday-a non-blog day for us.

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