Recipe
Neem leaf bath
- Herb:
- Neem Azadirachta indica
- Method:
- Bath additive
- Plant part:
- Leaf
About 30 minBeginnerRecipe science profile
Procedure
- Rinse the leaves, put them in 2 l of water and bring to the boil.
- Simmer 10 minutes until the water turns green and bitter, then strain.
- Pour the decoction into a lukewarm bath or use it after a shower as a rinse on the affected areas.
- Let it dry without rinsing; repeat once a day for a week at most.
Extraction
- Herb:
- 2 handfuls (about 30 g) of fresh or 15 g of dried leaves per 2 l of water
- Solvent:
- 10-minute decoction, added to a bath or used as a rinse
- Shelf life:
- use within 24 hours
- Target compounds:
- bitter limonoids (nimbin, nimbidin) and flavonoids partly enter the water
Notes
A traditional Indian preparation for itching and rashes, today common as a folk custom during chickenpox too. External use only; skip with open wounds and in infants. Seed oil does not belong in the bath.
Why it works
The leaves contain bitter limonoids (nimbin, nimbidin) and flavonoids that inhibit bacteria and yeasts in the laboratory, as Alzohairy 2016 summarises. Controlled studies of skin applications in humans are rare, so the bath remains a traditional hygiene practice, not a verified treatment.
Literature
- Alzohairy MA (2016): Therapeutics Role of Azadirachta indica (Neem) and Their Active Constituents in Diseases Prevention and Treatment. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2016:7382506 — Review of constituents and predominantly laboratory data on antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects.
Related
Neem — Herb card
Bath additive — Processing method detail