This antibacterial Ayurvedic herb helps fight nagging skin problems.
With its long leafy branches and lotuslike flowers, the neem tree has
long enjoyed a prominent place in the Ayurvedic tradition. Centuries
ago, Sanskrit writings made mention of its medicinal applications,
and healers in India continue to call neem the "village pharmacy" in
acknowledgment of its versatile range of uses. Today, the benefits
harbored in the leaves, fruits, oil, and bark of this plant are
gaining recognition in the United States, and we now find the
ingredient in everything from toothpaste and skin cream to natural
insecticides.

But how exactly does neem work? According to Ayurvedic medicine, the
tree possesses powerful cooling energies that act as an anti-
inflammatory and antiseptic in cases of excess heat. "Neem can be
used to treat imbalances involving fire. It's therefore most often
applied in cases of excess pitta," says Mary Jo Cravatta, a
chiropractor and Ayurvedic practitioner in Northern California. In
Ayurvedic medicine, an imbalance in one of the three
constitutions—
vata, pitta, or kapha—can cause discomfort and, ultimately,
disease.
By putting out the excess heat of pitta, the fire element, neem
prevents problems down the road.

Skin eruptions are a classic pitta problem, and in India, neem has
long come to the rescue against topical fungi, viruses, and other
infections. "Conditions like eczema and hives always have a heat and
toxic ama [bodily waste] component," Cravatta explains. But neem can
counter more serious skin problems as well, says Ellen Norten, author
of Neem: India's Miraculous Healing Plant (Healing Arts Press,
2000). "Because neem contains antibacterial properties, it is
effective in treating epidermal conditions such as septic sores,
infected burns, scrofula, and ringworm." Stubborn warts even clear up
with neem, she adds.

A powerful blood purifier, neem is often used in Ayurvedic
detoxification programs. David Frawley, author of Yoga and Ayurveda
(Lotus Press, 1999) explains that neem serves to clean the blood and
liver at profound levels, even to the point of ridding the body of
heavy metals, and should be used with discretion. "Neem would be
useful for anyone about to embark on a yogic spiritual path to
counter the ill-effects of old diets and toxins." Before committing
to a program of internal cleansing, consult an Ayurvedic physician.