Neem seeds

Preservatives which are based on natural ingredients or nature identical are small in numbers and these are gaining the attention of marketers. The ones I am aware of are - Grapefruit Seed extracts and Usnic Acid distributed by Paroxite, Neem seed oil... 

The seeds from the Indian neem tree, Azadirachta indica, are the source of two types of neem-derived botanical insecticides neem oil and medium polarity extracts. Neem seeds contain numerous azadirachtin (Fig. 9) analogs, but the major form is azadirachtin and the remaining minor analogs are likely to contribute little to the overall efficacy of the extracts. Typically, solvent partitions or other chemical processes are required to concentrate this active ingredient to the level of 10% to 50% seen in the technical grade material used to produce commercial products. 

Another limonoid isolated from neem seeds and determined to be as potent as azadirachtin as an ecdysis inhibitor has been identified as 3-deacetylazadirachtinol (Figure 15) (57). Both compounds were lethal to 50% of the treated H. virescens larvae (EI5Q) at 0.8 ppm in artificial diet (Table VII). Structurally, there are two differences between the compounds. In 3-deacetylazadirachtinol, the C-ll-O-C-13 ether linkage of azadirachtin is reductively cleaved at the 11 position and the acetoxyl group at C-3 is hydrolyzed to a hydroxyl group. 

Other benefits of large numbers of analogs to plants may include slower evolution of tolerance or lower rates of metabolism of mixtures compared with that of single compounds in herbivorous insects. Feng and Isman (1995) investigated the possibility of adaptation in herbivores by repeated selection of peach aphid colonies with either pure azadirachtin or neem seed extracts containing a large number of limonoids. The colonies treated with azadirachtin soon showed evidence of tolerance of this pure compound, whereas no evidence of tolerance was... 

A recent example is given by the insecticidal properties of the neem tree (Stone). Neem seeds have chemicals that ward off more than 200 species of insects, while exhibiting less toxicity to humans than synthetic pesticides, and having little effect on predators of the insects. Neem seeds were valued at 300/ton in 1992. However, a lower pnce is needed if the extracts are to find widespiead use as insecticides. The economic potential for naturally derived insecticides is large considering that about 2 x 109 of synthetic insecticides are sold annually in the U.S, (Stone). 

Stone, k. A Biopeslicidal Tree Begins to Blossom, Neem Seed Oil has Insect Toxicologists Buzzing About Its Potential As a Source of Natural Insecticides, ... 

Recent research indicates that neem may be good for more than pest control-it can help stop plant diseases, too When sprayed on plant leaves, the oil extracted from neem seeds provides a protective coating that blocks fungal spores and prevents disease development. 

Lange, W. t 1983). Piperonyl bu[oxide synergistic etTeets on different neem seed extracts and in flu cue ou degradation of an enriched, extract by uMra-violet light. In Pwct etliniix of the 2nd International Norm Cenfewnce. R[Pg.259]

Lang. W. 119831. Piperonyl butoxide synergistic effects on different neem seed extracts, in Proceedings of the 2nd Intcrnatiorntt Neem Conference, Rauisehoi 7 hausen, pp. 

Neem seed oil possesses an unpleasant, garlicky-type odor, undoubtedly due to a number of sulfur compounds present. 

Anti-ulcer studies conducted with laboratory rats using nirrbidin, the major bitter principle of neem seed oil, showed significant anti-ulcer potential when fed at doses of 20-40 mg/kg. 

Incorporation of neem seed cake (ethanol-extracted and unextracted) into the ration of lanbs at 10% caused no change in the growth rate,... 

Siddig, S.A. (1980) Efficacy and persistence of powdered neem seeds for treatment of stored wheat against Trogoderma granarium. In Proceedings of the 1st International... 

The neem tree, Azadirachta indica, is native to tropical Asia but has been planted widely in the warmer parts of Africa, Central and South America, and Asia. Extracts from neem seed kernels act as repellents, antifeedants, and growth disruptants. The main active principle in kernels is azadirachtin (AZ), a limonoid with a very complicated structure. A range of other compounds is also present. These neem substances can repel insects, prevent... 

Melia azedarach Neem seed oil SV, VSV, Potato virus Y Preinfection treatment Inhibits transmission [11] [137]... 

Lowery, D.T. Eastwell, K.C. Smirle, M. Neem Seed Oil Inhibits Aphid Transmission of Potato virus Y to Pepper. Can. Ann. Appl. Biol. 1997, 130, 217-225. 

It is established that the barrier efficiency of the woven fabrics directly depends on the arrangement of the filaments in the yam and the construction of the woven fabric. Research indicates that a desized, scoured, and bleached plain-weave cotton fabric weighing 130 g/m finished with a natural antimicrobial agent, neem seed, showed 99.5% antibacterial activity against S. aureus (Joshi et al., 2007). It should be mentioned that neem seed is obtained from the neem tree, Azadirachta indica, which... 

In this chapter, our recent studies on the Insecticidal constituents from these two plant species will be presented, concentrating first on the volatile organosulfur compounds recently Isolated from neem seeds (, and then on the azadirachtin-type tetranortrlterpenoid limonoids present In both species (22-26). Our recent studies on the Insecticidal mellaclns of the azadirachtin type suggest structure-activity relationships and a mode of action which may be useful In the design of synthetic analogs. 

The volatiles from crushed neem seeds were purged with nitrogen, trapped onto Amberilte XAD-4 resin traps at room temperature, recovered and concentrated Into diethyl ether using a Kuderna-Danish evaporative concentrator at 30 "C, and analyzed by means of capillary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). For comparative purposes, similar volatile concentrates were prepared from freshly chopped onion bulbs and garlic cloves, and blank controls were simultaneously prepared for each of the three test samples. 

Most of the neem seed volatiles identified (19 out of 25) were present in concentrations of less than 1% of the total area detected In the GC/MS total Ion chromatogram. Many of these minor components (e.g., isomeric dimethylthiophenes and various poiysulfides (i.e., tri- and tetrasulfides)) are probably heat-generated artifacts produced upon GC/MS analysis of thermolabile precursors. 

Neem seed oil. See Neem (Melia azadirachta) seed oil... 

Currently, little work has been published on the application of neem in textiles as an antimicrobial agent. Few patents based on the application of neem oil by micro-encapsulation technique have been recently reported [20]. A systematic stu on integrating neem seed and bark extracts on to the textile substrates has been undertaken by our group at III Delhi in the last five years [21], and the major findings are described briefly in this paper. 

---