European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

IN-DEPTH REVIEW ON TAXONOMY, PHYTOCHEMISTRY, TRADITIONAL USES AND PHARMACOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF AZADIRACHTA INDICA PLANT

Afreen Kadir, Tanmay Ghosh, K. Ilango, Vilas Nilkanthrao Deshmukh, Purnima Mahato, Konda V. V. S. Krishna, Sharang Bali, Yash Dhubkaria and Dr. Anil Kumar*

ABSTRACT

Azadirachta indica, or neem, is a plant whose therapeutic virtues have made it popular around the world in recent years. Neem is a contemporary medical marvel that has been utilized widely in Ayurvedic, Unani, and Homoeopathic treatment. Neem is a lovely evergreen tree with wide leaves that may reach heights of 30 meters and widths of 2.5 meters. Its normally straight trunk has a diameter of 30 to 80 cm. Its outspread branches create a circular crown with up to 20 meters wide deep green foliage and fragrant honey blooms. Azadirachtin is a common starting point for the synthesis of biopesticides, but it also has additional qualities that have been identified, the most notable of which are its antimalarial and anticancer effects. There are several different techniques for extracting azadirachtin, such as solvent extraction at high or low temperatures and solid-liquid extraction. Alcohol-based solvents are favored for isolating azadirachtin from plant components because they are linked to greater extraction yields. Extracts must usually be cleaned up before they can be further purified. Neem seeds have yielded the greatest quantities of azadirachtin; nonetheless, there is a significant fluctuation in concentration values across batches. Therefore, regular techniques for azadirachtin identification and quantification must be established in addition to extraction processes. This study aims to discuss the pharmacological relevance, phytochemistry, taxonomy, and traditional usage of the Azadirachta indica species.

Keywords: Epicatechin, Anti-oxidant, Azadirachta indica, Anticarcinogenic, Anti-diabetic.