Azadirachta indica A. Juss. In Vivo Toxicity—An Updated Review
Teresa M. Braga, Lídia Rocha, Tsz Yan Chung, Rita Oliveira, Cláudia Pinho, Ana Isabel Oliveira, Joaquim Morgado, Agostinho Cruz
Abstract
The Neem tree, Azadirachta indica A. Juss., is known for its large spectrum of compounds with biological and pharmacological interest. These include, among others, activities that are anticancer, antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory. Some neem compounds are also used as insecticides, herbicides, and/or antifeedants. The safety of these compounds is not always taken into consideration and few in vivo toxicity studies have been performed. The current study is a literature review of the latest in vivo toxicity of A. indica. It is divided in two major sections—aquatic animals toxicity and mammalian toxicity—each related to neem’s application as a pesticide or a potential new therapeutic drug, respectively.