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From
the very beginning of civilization, mankind has depended upon medicinal
herbs to treat a myriad of diseases, disorders and injuries. Even
today, more than half of all modern medicines - ranging from aspirin to
the newest treatment for breast cancer - are based upon ingredients
from plants.
The Advantages Of Neem
Neem, still called "the village pharmacy" in its native India, is
one of the most ancient and widely used herbs in the world. In fact,
herbalists in ancient India had documented the healing qualities of
this remarkable tree long before Western civilization discovered the
analgesic qualities of the willow tree from which aspirin is derived.
Perhaps the most significant challenge neem faces is the fact that
it appears to be too good to be true. We're not from Missouri, but
we're definitely "show me" type people who did a lot of research before
opening Neem Tree Farms. So instead of trying to persuade you how
wonderful neem is, we've provided a series of links to national and
international research on this remarkable tree.
We started growing neem on the indirect advice of the U.S.
government, which sponsored a research project that resulted in a book
called NEEM: A Tree for Solving Global Problems. The chapter on medicinals (pages 60 to 70) and "next steps" (pages 88 to 99) are particularly interesting.
Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development and
published by the National Academy Press, the book's contributors and
participants include the board of the National Research Council, the
National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine and the U.S.
Department of Agriculture as well as the Board on Science and
Technology for International Development.
It's a little difficult to read online and is somewhat outdated
(published in 1992) but what struck us most strongly was a paragraph in
the foreword:
"To those millions in India neem has miraculous powers, and
now scientists around the world are beginning to think they may be
right. Two decades of research have revealed promising results in so
many disciplines that this obscure species may be of enormous benefit
to countries both rich and poor. Even some of the most cautious
researchers are saying that 'neem deserves to be called a wonder plant."
Disclaimer: These products are not intended to diagnose, treat,
cure or prevent any disease. The research presented on this page is not
intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The
statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration. Whenever possible, links to abstracts published by the
National Institutes of Health (a division of the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services) are provided.
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