CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0 NEEM TREE(Azadirachta indica)

The neem tree Azadirachta indica A. belongs to family Meliaceae, is a tropical evergreen related

to mahogany. Native to east India and Burma, it grows in much of Southeast Asia and West

Africa; a few trees have recently been planted in the Caribbean and several Central American

countries, including México. The people of India have long revered the neem tree; for centuries,

millions have cleaned their teeth with neem twigs, smeared skin disorders with neem-leaf juice,

taken neem tea as a tonic, and placed neem leaves in their beds, books, grain bins, cupboards,

and closets to keep away troublesome bugs. Trees will reach up to 30 m tall with limbs reaching

half as wide. The shiny dark green pinnately compound leaves are up to 30 cm long. Each leaf

has 10–12 serrated leaflets that are 7 cm long by 2.5 cm wide. It will grow where rainfall is as

little, and thrives in areas that experience extreme heat of up to 48°C. Even some of the most

cautious researchers are saying that neem deserves to be called a “wonder plant.” The neem tree,

was introduced to Baja California Sur, México, in 1989 by a group of private producers

dedicated to organic horticulture in San José del Cabo. The first trees were brought from the

Philippines (Leos and Salazar S. 2002., Osuna 2000), and in 1992, this species was introduced to

Yaqui Valley, Sonora, México (Moreno, 1996.). Since 1994, trees have been planted in small

areas along roadsides, as a windbreak. Neem populations planted in Southern, Sonora, México,

have phenotypic and quality differences, fruits are heterogeneous in size and form, and oil

content and quality is variable.

The Neem tree (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.), of the Meliaceae (mahogany) family, known as

margosa or Indian lilac and originating in India, is one of the richest sources of secondary

metabolites in nature. It has long been recognized for its properties both against insects and in

improving human health. The Neem tree is an attractive, broad-leafed evergreen that can grow

up to 30 m in height, with spreading branches extending some 10 m. It grows as a tree found in

the temperate woodlands of southern West Africa. In the Traditional Medicine of the Ivory

Coast, the leaf, bark, or seed is ground, and extracted with hot water, and left to cool. This same

oily material is also employed as a cosmetic by women for treatment of their skin and hair

(Gossé et al., 2005). The flowers and fruits are borne in axillary clusters and when ripe, the

smooth, ellipsoidal drupes are greenish-yellow and comprise a sweet pulp enclosing a seed.

The seed consists of a shell and 1–3 kernels, which contain azadirachtin and its homologues.

Both the bark and the leaves also contain Biologically active molecules, but not high levels of

azadirachtin, which is found mainly in the seed kernels (Mordue and Nisbet, 2000).

2.1 Classification

Kingdom: Plantae

Division: Magnoliophyta

Order: Sapindales

Family: Meliaceae

Genus: Azadirachta

Species: A. indica
Source: Alzohairy MA. 2016.

2.1.1 Botanical Description of Neem

Neem tree belongs to the family Meliaceae which is found in abundance in tropical and

semitropical regions like India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal. It is a fast-growing tree with

20–23m tall and trunk is straight and has a diameter around 4-5 ft. The leaves are compound,

imparipinnate, with each comprising 5–15 leaflets. Its fruits are green drupes which turn golden

yellow on ripening in themonths of June– August

2.2 Constituents of Neem tree:

2.2.1 Chemical structure of Neem constituents:

2.2.2 The most active other chemical structure

Source: Nakahara, et al., 2003

2.3 Application of Neem

Neem oil is extracted from the seeds of the neem tree and has insecticidal and medicinal

properties due to which it has been used in pest control in rice cultivation. Neem seed cake

(residue of neem seeds after oil extraction) when used for soil amendment or added to soil, not

only enriches the soil with organic matter but also lowers nitrogen losses by inhibiting

nitrification. It also works as a nematicide. Neem leaves are used as green leaf manure and also

in preparation of litter compost. Neem leaves are also used in storage of grains. Twigs of neem

when tender is used as green manure after decomposing and widely incorporated in rice

cultivation fields. Neem (leaf and seed) extracts have been found to have insecticidal properties.

It is used as foliar spray and in treating seeds in rice cultivation. Neem bark and roots also have

medicinal properties. Bark and roots in powdered form are also used to control fleas and sucking

pests in rice cultivation. Neem has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-nematicidal properties and

positive effect in combating several diseases in rice cultivation, and there are many active

constituents of Neem which are still to be exploited.

2.4 Component of the Neem Tree

Neem tree is a mixture of free fatty acids, The most abundant are 43.1% of 1-oleic acid, 19.4%

of palmitic acid, 17.6% of 2- linoleic acid, 16.4% of stearic acid, and 0.3% of arachidic acid;

minor fatty acids include 0.6% of odeolidic acid, 0.3% of 3–α-linoleic acid, 0.2% of margaric

acid, 0.2% of behenic acid, 0.2% of lignoceric acid, and 0.1% of 1–gadoleic acid (Gossé et al.,

2005).

Azadirachtin, a complex tetranortriterpenoid limonoid from the Neem seed, is the main

component responsible for both antifeedant and toxic effects in insects. Another limonoid and
sulfur-containing compound with repellent, antiseptic, contraceptive, antipyretic, and

antiparasitic properties are found elsewhere in the tree, e.g., leaves, flowers, bark, and roots

(Mordue and Nisbet 2000). Limonoids, also denominate tetranortriterpenoids, are a group of

highly oxygenated, heterocyclic compounds with alkoxy and hydroxyl groups, of which

azadirachtin is the most well- known (Ospina-Salazár et al., 2015).

2.5 Usability of Neem Tree

Neem seed oil has been used in the industry in building materials and furniture, and as an

adhesive for paints, lubricants, and insect repellent (Árias et al., 2009); this material possesses

physicochemical properties that allow it to be proposed as raw material for the soap industry,

lubricants, and waxes, and the extraction residue, for use as fertilizer. In the pharmaceutical

industry, Neem oil is useful for treating the hair and for dry scalp: it is effective in counteracting

hair loss and for treating seborrhea, dandruff, and psoriasis. Neem leaves acting as a hair

conditioner prevents dryness and flaking.

Similarly, in the pharmaceutical industry and for personal hygiene, Neem bark and Neem oil are

utilized for dental cleaning, for preventing and curing gum disease such as gingivitis, for

bleeding gums, and for reducing bacterial plaque. It kills the bacteria that cause gum

inflammation and is employed in tooth-powder manufacturing. It is also used for the production

of antiseptics, as a binder, and as a tablet coater. In the cosmetics industry, it is utilized for facial

masks; face powders, lotions, and sunscreen creams. In the paper industry, it is employed as an

adhesive and as a paper strengthener, while in the textile industry; it is used in the dyeing and

printing of tissue. In the food industry, it is used as a stabilizing agent, in gels, and as a thickener.