Azadirachta - Indica .
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 1994 Sep / Oct Vol III No 5.
Aruna S.
Materia Medica / Cases.
` Aza.

The Neem or Margosa Tree

Azadirachta-indica, a remedy of Indian origin, is known for its medicinal properties from time immemorial.

This remedy was first proved by Dr.P.C. Majumdar. The tincture is prepared by macerating the powdered bark in alcohol.

SPHERE OF ACTION:

CNS, GIT, Intermittent fevers, Skin

1. Mentals:
   1. Lassitude - much of the drug picture of Azadirachta revolves around this peculiar symptom.
   2. Forgetfulness - mistakes in writing and spellings. Forgets names of very familiar persons. Forgets what was been done on the previous day.
   3. The mind is weak, dull and inactive and depressed with an overwhelming desire to lie down.
   4. Dreams - of quarrels and beating in the latter part of the night.
2. Physicals:
   1. There is a dullness and heaviness in the eyes. Giddiness especially on rising from sitting posture. Pain and debility in the nape of the neck. Slight difficulty in deglutition especially of meat and water.
      
      There is a debility in the GIT in the form of insufficient or unsatisfactory stools, be it constipation or diarrhoea.
      
      Sexual desire is diminished though there is a great excitement of sexual organs.
      
      Numbness of limbs as if paralyzed; gnawing in the legs. Strength of hands diminished.
      
      Sleepy during day and sleepless at night.
   2. Right sided nature of Complaints: Headache with throbbing in the temporal arteries especially on right side. Frontal headache, in open air, especially right side. Sense of pressure in the right eye; pressive pains. Eyes red and sunken. Left sided sore throat. Aching in the lower part of the right chest below the nipple; cramping pains. Numbness of the limbs especially of the right hand.
      
      In our practice, it is especially useful in cases previously maltreated with quinine.
   3. Fever- commencing with very little or no chills. Sensation of glowing heat and burning specially on the face, eyes, palms and soles and in open air (compare Arsenic). Fever from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. daily. (afternoon fever).
      
      Copious sweat only on the upper part of the body, commencing on the forehead and gradually extends towards the trunk. Intermittent fever with chronic enlargement of the liver, splenic congestion.
   4. Burning - Another strong generality seen associated with fevers and other complaints is burning. Burning in open air. Burning of eyes with coryza. Sensation as if scalded on the sides and surface of the tongue. Burning sensation in the chest; burning in the bowels with passing of offensive flatus. Urine scanty, high coloured and scalding. Burning and pricking in the skin.
   5. GIT - Every part of the neem tree is incredibly bitter - therefore patients have an almost constant bitter taste in the mouth and throat. Thirst - increased with dryness of the mouth; very great thirst at long intervals for large amounts of cold water. Craving for sweets.
      
      Flatulent - Great uneasiness and flatulent rumbling in the bowels, relieved by passing of wind both upwards and downwards. Appetite however is very acute and keen (compare Argentum-nit and Lyco)
   6. Respiratory - Very troublesome cough after bathing and at 1 p.m. Sputa white, tasteless, thick and in small lumps. Expelled with much difficulty. Sighing breathing at intervals.
   7. Skin- A decoction of the fresh leaves is sued as favorite "home remedy" to wash and cure old ulcers of long standing. It removes the sloughs and promotes healing. Itching of various parts of the body without the appearance of eruptions.
3. MODALITY:
   Aggravations - open air, slightest pressure, afternoon, wet compress (headache), opening the mouth (cracking sound in the ears).
   Ameliorations - by bending forward (pain in abdomen), passing flatus.
   The most important triad of keynote symptoms are:
   1. A constant bitter taste in the mouth and throat.
   2. Occasional sensation of fullness in the abdomen relieved by passing of wind, both upwards and downwards.
   3. Sensation of burning and glowing heat specially on face, eyes, palms and soles coming on every afternoon.

CONCLUSION:

In my clinical experience, I have seen Azadirachta-indicas greatest action in recurrent and stubborn cases of malaria wherein it has cured them without further relapses.

A CASE:

A 26 year old male patient was given herbal medicine for jaundice without relief. He was diagnosed as having haemolytic jaundice due to severe malaria and was advised radical treatment from the Malaria Department. He showed apparent improvement with Chloroquinine and Primaquine, but this was short lived. After 10 days the symptoms recurred. The fever relapsed time and again. At this juncture he was treated by a homoeopath with Arsenic and Natrum mur which again failed to cure.

I prescribed him Azadirachta-indica Q, 10 drops thrice a day for one month. This cured the patient without any relapses.

Azadirachta-indica is a useful drug in exo-erythrocytic cycle cases, recurrent and stubborn cases of malaria.

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