Neem for Malaria Treatment: Myth vs. Reality – Why This Herbal Remedy Isn’t a Cure
Mutiat Ahmed
Azadirachta indica is a medicinal herb commonly known as neem or dongoyaro and used for the treatment of malaria in Nigeria. Despite limited and inconsistent research on its use as a standalone treatment for malaria, its tree leaves, bark, seeds, flowers, and oil are utilised for a wide range of treatments.
One major misconception about neem trees is that they are always beneficial and without negative impacts. On social media platforms, it is regularly promoted as a potent treatment for malaria amongst a host of other diseases as seen here, here, and here.
Peter* (not real name) says dogonyaro juice was commonly administered to his cousins, anytime they were down with fever and while sometimes, the feverish conditions would fade away, at other times, they would often start feeling drowsy and throw up. He suggests that this may have been due to overdose or over concentration of the extract. Last year, there were two separate claims fact-checked by Africa Check and AFP Factcheck on neem leaves being a cure for cholera and healing HIV patients. These cases are indicative of the emerging misinformation about the usefulness of neem leaves.
What Research Says About Neem
According to the Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, neem tree extracts have been extensively used in health management since ancient times and have a variety of health promoting properties. Neem has demonstrated some antimalarial activity in preliminary studies, but its efficacy as a standalone treatment for malaria is limited and inconsistent. The chemical constituents as seen in the diagram below.
Source: Research Gate
The World Journal On Pharmaceutical Research also asserts that “one of the most remarkable attributes of neem is its potent anti-inflammatory effects, particularly attributed to its active compounds such as nimbidin and azadirachtin. Neem’s anti-inflammatory properties extend its utility in treating conditions characterised by inflammation, making it a natural alternative to synthetic anti-inflammatory medications.”
Corroborating this, a scientific research on neem’s crude extract validated that oil extracted from neem bark, leaves and seeds are potent against organisms of gram-negative, gram-positive and mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Limitations of Current Research on Neem and Malaria
While neem has been traditionally used in various forms such as teas, extracts, and oils, there is a lack of robust clinical trials demonstrating the efficacy of neem in treating malaria in humans. The evidence supporting these claims largely comes from preclinical studies of its purported antimalarial properties.
In Vitro results, which come from experiments, show that the complexity of living organisms introduces numerous variables that can alter these outcomes when moving to in vivo (animal or human studies) or real-world applications. In vitro studies lack the complexity of whole organisms, including interactions between cells, tissues, and organs. However, when comparing neem to artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), which are the standard for malaria treatment, several key differences arise in terms of efficacy, mechanisms of action, and clinical application. This is the standard treatment recommended by the World Health Organisation, WHO, with cure rates exceeding 90 percent in most cases and ACTs combined with a partner drug, such as lumefantrine, mefloquine, or piperaquine, enhances efficacy and prevents resistance.
Although neem is generally considered safe in traditional doses, high or prolonged use can lead to toxicity, particularly in children and pregnant women and this poses serious safety concerns.
Risks of Using Neem for Treatments
The following are the key risks associated with untreated or poorly treated malaria; Severe Anemia, Cerebral Malaria, Respiratory Distress, Hypoglycemia, Multi-Organ Failure, Blackwater Fever, Complications in Pregnant Women, Complications in Children, Chronic Malaria and subsequent Death. Using neem as a substitute for proven, effective antimalarial drugs poses significant dangers, including the risk of severe malaria, complications, and even death.
Dr. Joshua Okon, a medical doctor at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, UUTH, said there is no robust clinical evidence proving that dogonyaro is effective against malaria. Speaking to News Verifier Africa, he warned that using ineffective treatments can contribute to the development of drug-resistant strains of malaria, further complicating global eradication efforts.
Neem has been clinically proven to be unsafe as it might harm the kidneys and liver. Serious side effects in infants and small children can happen within hours after taking neem oil. These serious side effects include vomiting, diarrhea, drowsiness, blood disorders, seizures, loss of consciousness, coma, brain disorders, and death, and are also unsafe during pregnancy.
Neem’s Promising Properties Does Not Translate to Malaria Cure
Neem has been studied for its potential medicinal properties, but it cannot be considered a definitive cure for malaria. While neem has shown some promise in laboratory studies for its antimalarial effects, there is insufficient high-quality clinical evidence to confirm its efficacy as a standalone treatment for malaria in humans. Conventional antimalarial drugs like chloroquine, ACTs, and other proven treatments remain the recommended therapies.
Over the years, there have been public campaigns and fundings around malaria. In 1998, there was a partnership between WHO, UNICEF, UNDP, and the World Bank, known as Roll Back Malaria. This was aimed to coordinate global action against malaria, focusing on resource mobilization, policy development, and advocacy. Annual events like World Malaria Day observed yearly every April 25 raise awareness about malaria prevention and treatment.
The introduction of widely-tested and safe-for-use malaria vaccines will go a long way in tackling malaria in prone areas. However, another endemic to concentrate on at the moment is the info-dermic on the several uses of using neem leaves alongside other medicinal herbs that are not evidence-based treatments and are potentially harmful.
