The Hindu : Neem oil effective against Weil's disease?

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 10, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

Neem oil effective against Weil's disease?

By Our Staff Reporter

KOTTAYAM July 9. Even as public health authorities and modern medicine practitioners are struggling hard to control the outbreak of Leptospirosis in many parts of the State, the Leptospirosis Institute of Kerala here has come up with a simple and low cost preventive - Neem Oil.

According to Dr. Punnen Kurian, principal investigator, and Manuel Thomas, research scholar, their research into the issue has found that those who work in waterlogged areas, the most prone to Weil's Disease, can effectively prevent the portal entry of leptospira by covering the entire body surface with one layer of neem oil just before starting work.

According to them, a total of 60 regular workers of canals, paddyfields and sand-mining on rivers were provided with locally available neem oil after assessing its quality using standard procedures. They had ensured that oiling was done every day just before they started the day's work. The entire body surface, including areas of cuts and bruises, was covered with one layer of oil. All other regular workers of the area were considered as `control' group and ensured that they were not taking any such preventive measures. The study was continued for a period of one month during May-June period.

No leptospirosis case was reported from the treated group. But two cases were reported from the same area to the Kottayam medical College hospital which were serologically confirmed and one of them died. Water samples taken from the area also proved that they contained leptospires at moderate level. Three species of rats were captured from the area and 35 per cent of their samples were found serologically positive.

According to Dr Kurian, neem oil may form an impermeable layer on skin that prevents the portal entry of the bacteria. The high viscosity, density and surface tension of the oil helps to keep the film on skin intact for a longer duration. The anti-bacterial property of neem oil is well established and it is effective against leptospira too. Anti-bacterial constituents like nimbidines and mahmoodin have been isolated from the oil. Moreover, the neem oil, while it mixes with water even in lower concentrations becomes acidic and it may turn leptospiricidal. Leptospira is very sensitive to pH changes and acidic pH below 6.0 is leptospiricidal.

They pointed out that the only effective way to control Weil's disease was through taking up vigorous campaigns to eliminate rats. This should have been done by the local bodies with popular participation. However, the local bodies and authorities have miserably failed in this endeavour and the poorer sections of the people, who are most prone to rat fever can take care of themselves through this cheap method. Neem oil is cheap, easily available and inspite of the unpleasant odour, acceptable to the local community as a traditional commodity used in ayurvedic treatments. As such it can be recommended for wider use, they said.

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Neem oil effective against Weil's disease?