Department of Botany, D.D.U. Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur-273 009, India.
Abstracts of the papers presented at the XVIII National Conference of Indian Virological Society at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India, December 11–13, 2008.
Neem (Azadirachta indica, syn. Melia azadirachta L., Antelaea azadirachta (L.) Adelb.) is a tree in the mahogany family Meliaceae. It is one of two species in the genus Azadirachta, and is native to Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, and Pakistan growing in tropical and semi-tropical regions. Other vernacular names include Azad Dirakht (Persian), Dogon Yaro (Nigerian), Margosa, Neeb (Arabic), Nimtree, Nimba (Sanskrit), Vepu, Vempu, Vepa (Telugu), Bevu in Kannada, Veppam in (Tamil), arya veppu in Malayalam and Indian-lilac. In East Africa it is also known as Mwarobaini (Swahili), which means the tree of the 40; it's said to treat 40 different diseases. The active principles of the plant were brought to the attention of scientists in 1942 when Salimuzzaman Siddiqui, while working at the Scientific and Industrial Research Laboratory at Delhi University, for the first time extracted three bitter compounds from neem oil, which he provisionally named as nimbin, nimbinin, and nimbidin respectively. The seeds contain an extremely complex secondary metabolite azadirachtin. Neem is a source of environment-friendly biopesticides. The unique feature of neem products is that they do not directly kill the pests, but alter the life-processing behavior in such a manner that the insect can no longer feed, breed or undergo metamorphosis. Because of the presence of these chemicals Azadirachta indica have anti-bacterial and anti- fungal activity. Recently during a survey programmed in Gorakhpur district some virus like symptoms are found on this plant. It shows mottling, puckering, and shoe string like viral symptom. Detailed studies are on progress in the laboratory.
