Scientific name: Melia azedarach
Family name: Meliaceae
Melia azedarach, commonly known as the chinaberry tree, pride of India, bead-tree, Cape lilac.The fully grown tree has a rounded crown, and commonly measures 7–12 metres (20–40 feet) tall, exceptionally 45 m (150 ft).The leaves are up to 50 centimetres (20 inches) long, alternate, long-petioled, two or three times compound (odd-pinnate); the leaflets are dark green above and lighter green below, with serrate margins.The flowers are small and fragrant, with five pale purple or lilac petals, growing in clusters.The fruit is a drupe, marble-sized, light yellow at maturity, hanging on the tree all winter, and gradually becoming wrinkled and almost white.
Chemical constituents:
Leaves-Azadirachtin, azadirachtanin, azadirone, nimbandiol, nimbin, nimbolide etc.
Stem bark— nimbin, nimbidin, nimbinin, sitosterol, kulinone, margosinolide etc.
Root bark—nimbin, nimbidin.
Fruits—Azadirachtin, azadirachtol, azadirachnol, melianone, nimbiol, nimocin etc.
Seed oil—Tocopherol, azadirone, azadiradione, nimbinin, salannol, nimbin, nimbidin etc.
Flowers—Azadiradione, margosene, linoleic acid, arachidic acid etc.
Properties:
Rasa: Tikta, Kasaya
Guna: Laghu, Ruksha
Virya :Sita
Vipaka :Katu
Benefits:
1.Leaves are stimulant of liver. Its bark decoction with honey is useful in jaundice, anorexia, vomiting, dysentery, intestinal worms, liver diseases. Ointment prepared from seeds is applied in piles.
2.Respiratory system : Its property of tikta reduces the kapha from respiratory passage. Leaves are more useful in excessive mucous secretion, Bark decoction is used in chronic cough. 30- 60 cc of liquid collected from the trunk is given in TB.
3.Urinary system : It is effective in diabetes.
4.Reproductive system : its seed uterine stimulant. Seed powder is used in dysmenorrheal. Continuous use of leaves leads to a decrease in the shukradhatus. it is a uterine Ionic. Since it is excreted in human milk, it is useful in preventing cough and skin diseases in infants.
5.Skin : It is useful in all skin conditions specially in burning sensation.
6.Temperature : Antipyretic. useful in chronic kaphajwara. malarial fever & fever.
7.Eyes : Tender leaves anti flowers are useful in many skin disorders,
8.Used in curing numerous ailments like piles, skin diseases, mouth ulcers, dandruff, gout, inflammation and so on.
9.Seeds are used in treating piles whereas leaves are used in relieving moth ulcers, gum problems and bad breath.
Is MAHANIMBA safe:
Without physician consult, it should not be taken.
Contradictions:
1.It is unsafe to use Bakayan in pregnancy. It is contraindicated in pregnancy and breastfeeding.
2.It promotes the onset of periods.
3.It may cause mouth burning, blood vomiting, production of abnormally small amounts of urine, etc.
4.It exhibits antifertility effects in both men and women.
5.Itreduces male fertility by decresing the daily production of sperms and sperm motility.