Neem

Azadirachta indica

Neem oil is one of the newer entries on to the midge repellent market. That said it is by no means a "new" product. It is derived from an Indian plant/tree and has long been used in its native country.

The name "neem" apparently means "blessing" in Hindi. Extracts from the tree have been used both to ward off insects from biting humans and to keep mosquitoes away from grain stores.

What Is Neem?

The neem tree is an evergren from the mahogany family and is native to Burma and India. It's medicinal properties have been part of local folklore for centuries and it's been dubbed the "village pharmacy".

Neem oil is produced by pressing the fruits and seeds of the tree. Although the oil is the relevant neem product when discussing midges, many other parts of the tree are used in the areas where it is grown - for example people clean their teeth with neem twigs.

The neem oil tree has been as the centre of a number of disputes over the granting of patents on genetic resources to biotech corporations.

Does Neem Oil Work?

Cold pressed neem derived oil was scientifically tested by Edinburgh based researchers Dr Allison Blackwell and Dr Andrew Evans. Their results were published at the 8th Annual Symposium on Complementary Health Care. The research showed that midges can sense neem oil and avoid it. A concentration of neem oil as low as 0.01% was enough to reduce midge biting and at 1% biting was almost totally inhibited. A compound containing 2% neem oil was then developed and cage tested, proving that neem can be an effective midge repellent.

Many products on the market today incorporate pure neem oil in their manufacture, for instance you can buy neem based oils, soap and creams. These might be an attractive alternative for those who prefer to buy something more natural than the man-made products such as those based on DEET.

External Links:
Abstract of Blackwell & Evans findings

Site Information