Every part of this sacred tree is used in some form on a daily basis: the twigs as a toothbrush, the oil for soap, and the leaves as a medicine to treat skin lesions, as well as to keep insects away.
Ayurvedic literature extols neem’s genuine effectiveness for many different reasons. Not only is neem one of the most powerful natural blood-purifiers and detoxifiers, it also cools fever and clears the toxins involved in most inflammatory skin diseases. Ancient Ayurvedic practitioners believed that skin diseases could be caused by high sugar levels in the body, and neem’s bitter quality was said to counteract the sweetness. According to Ayurveda, neem is also antipyretic (fever-reducing), alterative (producing a gradual and beneficial change in the body), anthelmintic (dispelling parasites), antiseptic (destroying bacteria), and bitter tonic (strengthening the organism).