Research

Neem

28 peer-reviewed studies curated from PubMed and Semantic Scholar.

1
Meta-analyses
3
Systematic reviews
22
RCTs
2
Other studies
Meta-analyses (4%)
Systematic reviews (11%)
RCTs (79%)

Studies

Sorted by quality and recency

2022·Journal of ethnopharmacology·Haslinda Ramli, Khairun Nain Nor Aripin, Shahida Mohd Said, et al

The effectiveness of miswak (Salvadora persica L. and Azadirachta indica A.Juss.) practices in reducing plaque and gingivitis among adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Meta-analysis

Systematic review and meta-analysis assessing the effectiveness of miswak in maintaining periodontal health among adults. Miswak was found to be comparable to toothbrush in reducing plaque and gingivitis scores, with adjunctive use showing superior effects.

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2021·Journal of complementary & integrative medicine·Maryam Iman, Mohammadreza Taheri, Zahra Bahari

The anti-cancer properties of neem () through its antioxidant activity in the liver: its pharmaceutics and toxic dosage forms. A literature review.

Systematic reviewInflammation

This literature review examines the anti-cancer properties of neem, focusing on its hepatic antioxidant activity. The review discusses neem's potential mechanisms, including suppression of the NF-κβ pathway, increased expression of tumor suppressors, decreased expression of oncogenes, and increased apoptosis in cancerous cells. The median lethal dose (LD50) for neem extracts is reported to be higher than 2,500 mg/kg.

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2025·Journal of the Indian Society of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry·Anshula Deshpande, Simron Baishya, Sneha Dori, et al

Clinical and microbiological evaluation of dental plaque on topical application of olive oil, olive oil with 35% Curcuma zedoaria, and olive oil with 30% Azadirachta indica in hospitalized children: A randomized control trial.

RCTn = 84

RCT evaluating the efficacy of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), EVOO with 35% Curcuma zedoaria, and EVOO with 30% Azadirachta indica on dental plaque and microbial counts in hospitalized children. EVOO + 35% CZ showed the best reduction in microbial count, followed by EVOO + 30% AI and EVOO.

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2022·Journal of wound care·Raimondo Arena, Maria Grazia Strazzeri, Tommaso Bianchi, et al

Hypericum and neem oil for dehisced post-surgical wounds: a randomised, controlled, single-blinded phase III study.

RCTn = 99Inflammation -

A phase III RCT evaluated the efficacy of a hypericum and neem oil dressing (1PWD) compared to silver-based dressings in 99 patients with dehisced surgical wounds. The study found no significant difference in inflammatory symptoms between groups, but a significant reduction in pain was observed in the experimental group.

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2021·Alternative therapies in health and medicine·Tanuja Manoj Nesari, Anju Bhardwaj, Rajagopala ShriKrishna, et al

Neem (Azadirachta Indica A. Juss) Capsules for Prophylaxis of COVID-19 Infection: A Pilot, Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial.

RCTn = 190Immunity

A double-blind, randomized controlled trial evaluated neem capsules for COVID-19 prophylaxis in 190 high-risk individuals. The intervention group had a 55% reduced risk of infection compared to placebo, with minimal adverse events. Biomarkers and quality of life remained stable.

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2021·Journal of medicinal food·Usharani Pingali, Bhavani Vuppalanchi, Chandrasekhar Nutalapati, et al

Aqueous(Neem) Extract Attenuates Insulin Resistance to Improve Glycemic Control and Endothelial Function in Subjects with Metabolic Syndrome.

RCTn = 80Nutrition Heart Health Inflammation

RCT investigating the efficacy and safety of aqueous neem extract on metabolic parameters in subjects with metabolic syndrome. NEEM supplementation dose-dependently improved fasting blood sugar, postprandial blood sugar, insulin resistance, HbA1c, endothelial function, and markers of inflammation and oxidative stress over 12 weeks.

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2018·International journal of molecular sciences·Marius Alexandru Moga, Andreea Bălan, Costin Vlad Anastasiu, et al

An Overview on the Anticancer Activity of(Neem) in Gynecological Cancers.

Systematic reviewWomens Health

Systematic literature review on the anticarcinogenic potential of neem compounds in gynecological cancers. Neem has shown properties such as chemopreventive capacity, apoptotic activities, immunomodulatory effects, and induction of p53-independent apoptosis.

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2016·International journal of dental hygiene·K Dhingra, K L Vandana

Effectiveness of Azadirachta indica (neem) mouthrinse in plaque and gingivitis control: a systematic review.

Systematic review

Systematic review evaluating the effectiveness of neem-based herbal mouthrinse in improving plaque control and gingival health. Three RCTs found neem mouthrinse as effective as chlorhexidine in reducing plaque and gingival inflammation, but evidence quality was generally flawed.

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2025·Journal of the Indian Society of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry·Shrikant Bhujangrao Kendre, Anuja U Bhatane, Mahesh Vilasrao Dadpe, et al

Comparative evaluation of antibacterial efficacy of sequential herbal irrigation with conventional irrigation in endodontic therapy of primary teeth: A randomized controlled trial.

RCTn = 15

RCT comparing antimicrobial efficacy of herbal irrigation versus conventional irrigation in endodontic therapy of primary teeth in 15 pediatric patients. Herbal irrigation using Salvadora persica, Azadirachta indica, tea tree oil, and phytic acid showed comparable efficacy to conventional agents, with greater reduction in E. faecalis and benefits of safety and biocompatibility.

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2023·The journal of contemporary dental practice·Sunil, Siddharth Anand, Asib Ahmad, et al

Clinical and Radiographic Evaluation of Various Herbal Products Used with Zinc Oxide as an Obturating Material in Primary Teeth: AnStudy.

RCTn = 43

RCT comparing zinc oxide with various herbal products, including neem, as obturating materials for pulpectomy in primary teeth of children aged 4-8 years. Neem extract showed promising clinical and radiographical results, with a 93.3% success rate for pain recovery and 100% success for absence of abscess and periradicular radiolucency.

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2019·PLoS neglected tropical diseases·Lynne Elson, Kithi Randu, Hermann Feldmeier, et al

Efficacy of a mixture of neem seed oil (Azadirachta indica) and coconut oil (Cocos nucifera) for topical treatment of tungiasis. A randomized controlled, proof-of-principle study.

RCTn = 96Skin Hair Health

RCT of 96 children with tungiasis comparing a mixture of neem seed oil and coconut oil to potassium permanganate foot bath. The neem-coconut oil mixture was not more effective in killing sand fleas but showed better secondary outcomes in reducing pathology and pain.

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2018·Oral health & preventive dentistry·Fayez Hussain Niazi, Muhammed Abdullah Kamran, Mustafa Naseem, et al

Anti-plaque Efficacy of Herbal Mouthwashes Compared to Synthetic Mouthwashes in Patients Undergoing Orthodontic Treatment: A Randomised Controlled Trial.

RCTn = 80

RCT comparing the antiplaque effects of herbal mouthwashes containing Salvadora persica and Azadirachta indica with synthetic mouthwashes in orthodontic patients. Salvadora persica miswak-based mouthwash showed the greatest reduction in plaque scores.

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2017·Parasitology research·Margit Semmler, Fathy Abdel-Ghaffar, Falk Gestmann, et al

Randomized, investigator-blinded, controlled clinical study with lice shampoo (Licener®) versus dimethicone (Jacutin® Pedicul Fluid) for the treatment of infestations with head lice.

RCTn = 119

This randomized, investigator-blinded, controlled clinical study compared a neem extract-based lice shampoo (Licener) with a dimethicone-based product (Jacutin Pedicul Fluid) for treating head lice in children. The study found that both products exceeded the objective of cure rates over 85% after a single treatment, with the neem extract product showing higher ovicidal efficacy and significant superiority in combined success rates.

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2017·The journal of contemporary dental practice·A Nishad, N S Sreesan, Joseph Joy, et al

Impact of Mouthwashes on Antibacterial Activity of Subjects with Fixed Orthodontic Appliances: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

RCTn = 60

RCT assessing the impact of neem and chlorhexidine mouthwashes on antibacterial activity in 60 individuals with fixed orthodontic appliances. Both mouthwashes significantly reduced plaque index, gingival index scores, and Streptococcus mutans colony count, with neem being a potential alternative to chlorhexidine.

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2010·Journal of the Egyptian Society of Parasitology·Fawzia H Toulah, Hayat A Ismeel, Samar Khan

Effect of treatment with Neem (Azadirachta indica) compared with Baycox drug on the caecum of chicken experimentally infected with Eimeria tenella.

RCTn = 120

The study evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of Neem herb in chickens experimentally infected with E. tenella compared to Baycox. 120 broiler chicks were divided into four groups, with Neem showing improvement in cecal integrity and performance data, although Baycox was superior in efficacy.

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2008·The Journal of clinical pediatric dentistry·Shivalal Sharma, C S Saimbi, Bandana Koirala, et al

Effect of various mouthwashes on the levels of interleukin-2 and interferon-gamma in chronic gingivitis.

RCTn = 80

Double-blind RCT evaluating the effect of mouthwashes containing Chlorhexidine, Essential oil, Azadirachta indica (Neem) extract, and Povidone iodine on gingival tissue IL-2 and IFN-gamma levels in 80 patients with chronic gingivitis. Chlorhexidine, Essential oil, and Povidone iodine significantly reduced plaque, gingival indices, and cytokine levels, while Neem showed non-significant reductions.

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2004·Life sciences·Uday Bandyopadhyay, Kaushik Biswas, Arnab Sengupta, et al

Clinical studies on the effect of Neem (Azadirachta indica) bark extract on gastric secretion and gastroduodenal ulcer.

RCTGut Health

RCT investigating the effects of Neem bark extract on gastric secretion and gastroduodenal ulcers in patients with acid-related problems. Neem bark extract significantly decreased gastric acid secretion and inhibited gastric secretion volume and pepsin activity. It also healed duodenal, esophageal, and gastric ulcers with no significant adverse effects.

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2004·Journal of ethnopharmacology·M Raveendra Pai, Leelavathi D Acharya, N Udupa

Evaluation of antiplaque activity of Azadirachta indica leaf extract gel--a 6-week clinical study.

RCT

A 6-week clinical study evaluated the efficacy of a mucoadhesive dental gel containing Azadirachta indica (neem) leaf extract against plaque formation in males aged 20-30. The neem extract gel significantly reduced plaque index and bacterial count compared to chlorhexidine gluconate mouthwash.

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2001·Indian journal of dental research : official publication of Indian Society for Dental Research·A Vanka, S Tandon, S R Rao, et al

The effect of indigenous Neem Azadirachta indica [correction of (Adirachta indica)] mouth wash on Streptococcus mutans and lactobacilli growth.

RCT

The study tested the antibacterial effect of Neem mouthwash against salivary levels of Streptococcus mutans and lactobacillus over 2 months. Neem mouthwash inhibited Streptococcus mutans but not lactobacillus, which was inhibited by chlorhexidine. Neem also showed potential in reversing incipient carious lesions.

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2017·The journal of contemporary dental practice·Md Jalaluddin, U B Rajasekaran, Sam Paul, et al

Comparative Evaluation of Neem Mouthwash on Plaque and Gingivitis: A Double-blind Crossover Study.

RCTn = 40

This randomized, double-blinded, crossover clinical trial evaluated the impact of neem-containing mouthwash on plaque and gingivitis in 40 participants aged 18 to 35 years. The study found a slight reduction in plaque levels and a significant reduction in gingival index scores with neem mouthwash, suggesting it can be an alternative to chlorhexidine mouthwash for maintaining oral hygiene.

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2015·The journal of contemporary dental practice·K N Abhishek, S Supreetha, George Sam, et al

Effect of Neem containing Toothpaste on Plaque and Gingivitis--A Randomized Double Blind Clinical Trial.

RCTn = 30

Randomized, double blind clinical trial assessing the effect of neem-containing toothpaste on plaque and gingivitis in 30 dental students. Statistically significant improvements in plaque and gingival indices were observed in the neem group compared to control.

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2015·Tropical animal health and production·Samson Hailemariam, Mengistu Urge, Sissay Menkir

Effect of feeding Neem (Azadirachta indica) and Acacia (Acacia senegal) tree foliage on nutritional and carcass parameters in short-eared Somali goats.

RCTn = 20Nutrition

The study evaluated the effects of dried foliage of Acacia senegal and Neem tree supplementations on feed intake, nutrient digestibility, growth, and carcass parameters in short-eared Somali goats. Supplemented groups showed higher total dry matter intake, digestibility, and body weight gain compared to the control group. Acacia senegal supplementation resulted in the highest hot carcass weight.

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2013·Indian journal of dental research : official publication of Indian Society for Dental Research·Aswini Y Balappanavar, Varun Sardana, Malkeet Singh

Comparison of the effectiveness of 0.5% tea, 2% neem and 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthwashes on oral health: a randomized control trial.

RCTn = 30

RCT comparing the effectiveness of 0.5% tea, 2% neem, and 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthwashes on oral health in 30 healthy volunteers. Neem and tea showed better anti-plaque and gingival effectiveness than chlorhexidine, with tea being the most effective overall.

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2005·Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene·Smita N Joshi, Usha Katti, Sheela Godbole, et al

Phase I safety study of Praneem polyherbal vaginal tablet use among HIV-uninfected women in Pune, India.

RCTn = 20

Phase I open-label study evaluating the safety of Praneem polyherbal vaginal tablets containing Azadirachta indica extracts among 20 HIV-uninfected women. The study found the tablets to be safe for once daily intravaginal use for 14 consecutive days, with some participants experiencing mild genital irritation.

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2004·International dental journal·M R Pai, L D Acharya, N Udupa

The effect of two different dental gels and a mouthwash on plaque and gingival scores: a six-week clinical study.

RCTn = 48

An open labelled randomized six-week clinical study evaluated the efficacy of gel formulations containing chlorhexidine gluconate and neem extract compared to a chlorhexidine gluconate mouthwash in 48 subjects. Both gels significantly reduced plaque and gingival scores over six weeks, with no significant difference between the neem extract gel and chlorhexidine gel.

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2022·Virology·Lucky Sarkar, Lauren M. Oko, Soham Gupta, et al

Azadirachta indica A. Juss bark extract and its Nimbin isomers restrict β-coronaviral infection and replication

In vitroImmunity Inflammation

The study assessed the antiviral efficacy of Azadirachta indica bark extract (NBE) against SARS-CoV-2 and m-CoV-RSA59 infection. NBE inhibited viral infection and replication in vitro and reduced neuroinflammation and hepatitis in vivo. NBE's triterpenoids may target viral proteins, suggesting potential as an antiviral against pan-β-Coronaviruses.

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1995·The Indian journal of medical research·G P Talwar, R Pal, O Singh, et al

Safety of intrauterine administration of purified neem seed oil (Praneem Vilci) in women & effect of its co-administration with the heterospecies dimer birth control vaccine on antibody response to human chorionic gonadotropin.

RCTn = 18

Phase I clinical trial evaluating the safety of a single intrauterine instillation of purified neem oil (Praneem Vilci) in 18 healthy tubectomised women. The study also assessed the effect of its co-administration with the heterospecies dimer hCG vaccine on anti-hCG antibody response. No adverse effects were observed, and the neem oil did not prevent the antibody response to the vaccine.

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2019·IET Nanobiotechnology·R. Bhat, Jameelah Almusallam, Sooad Al Daihan, et al

Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using Azadirachta indica leaves: characterisation and impact on Staphylococcus aureus growth and glutathione‐S‐transferase activity

In vitro

The study explores the use of Azadirachta indica leaf extract as a reducing agent for the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The effects of AgNPs on the growth, glutathione-S-transferase activity, and total protein concentration in Staphylococcus aureus were investigated, showing that AgNPs can interrupt bacterial growth and protein concentration.

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