Most North Americans have never heard of its healing abilities, but researchers are discovering that an evergreen tree often used to make furniture offers some powerful anti-cancer benefits.
The neem tree is referred to as the “Miracle Tree” because of its tremendous medical properties. It is also considered to be a “village pharmacy” in India, where it grows. Extracts of neem leaves, twigs, bark, seeds, and flowers are integral components of many traditional remedies in the ancient Indian medical system of Ayurveda.
More than 60 different biologically active neem compounds have been identified and used for a wide variety of health and medical applications.
Overall, neem compounds show impressive anti-cancer potential against many human cancer cell lines and animal models for human cancers. Among these are colon, stomach, pancreas, lung, liver, skin, oral, prostate, and breast cancers.
A recently published study showed that nimbolide – a bioactive neem compound – was able to induce apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells, to the extent that the size and number of cancer cell colonies was reduced by 80%. Nimbolide also reduced the ability of pancreatic cancer cells to migrate and invade other areas of the body by an astonishing 70%.
Neem preparations have been shown to potentiate (enhance the effect of) the actions of anti-cancer agents. They also provide protection against the life-threatening side effects of some of these very toxic drugs.
Various parts of the neem tree and its extracts have been used by humans for medicinal purposes for hundreds of years.While the uses of neem seem limitless, precautions need to be taken and neem products should be used with care. Indiscriminate consumption of higher than necessary doses may sometimes cause unpleasant side effects.