Azadirachtin
Compiled from published pharmacological and botanical literature. Not independently verified by Herbuno. Spotted an error or have a correction? Flag it below →
| Chemical Class | Tetranortriterpenoid (limonoid) |
| Molecular Formula / CAS | C₃₅H₄₄O₁₆ · CAS 11141-17-6 |
| Primary Botanical Source(s) | Neem (Azadirachta indica) |
| Plant Part | Seed (highest concentration); also present in leaf and bark |
| Typical Content | The principal bioactive limonoid of neem seed, one of over 400 compounds isolated from the plant |
| Solubility / Format | Available as standardised extract powder at defined azadirachtin percentages |
| Sourcing Status | Product-live — genuine match via Herbuno’s neem-derived azadirachtin extract line |
| Buy from Herbuno | Azadirachtin 3% Powder (Neem Extract) · Azadirachtin 1% Powder |
Name origin: Azadirachtin takes its name directly from its botanical source, Azadirachta indica — the neem tree — whose own genus name derives from the Persian azad-darakht-i-hind, meaning “free/noble tree of India.” Traditional use: Neem has been used across South Asian traditional medicine for millennia, earning the epithet “village pharmacy” for its documented traditional use against fever, skin conditions, dental disorders and intestinal parasites, alongside a parallel, equally ancient use as a stored-grain and crop protectant — the property that would later be traced specifically to azadirachtin. Research trajectory: Azadirachtin was isolated and structurally characterised as neem’s principal insect-active limonoid in the latter half of the 20th century, and research since has concentrated overwhelmingly on its agricultural application as a biopesticide and insect growth regulator, with a smaller but genuine parallel research thread examining its antimicrobial and other bioactivity independent of insecticidal use. Commercial source: Neem seed is the standard commercial source of azadirachtin, and Herbuno’s standardised extracts reflect this well-established, genuine botanical match.
Evidence for Azadirachtin Applications
Azadirachtin is neem’s principal insect-active limonoid, functioning as a potent antifeedant, insect growth regulator, and oviposition deterrent rather than acting as a fast-knockdown insecticide in the conventional sense; its primary mechanism involves disrupting the synthesis and release of insect molting hormones, preventing larvae from maturing normally. This makes azadirachtin’s dominant and best-established application agricultural and horticultural pest management rather than human ingestible supplementation, and formulators should size expectations accordingly for this specific compound. Claim strength: High (agricultural/entomological application).
Safety evaluation of neem-derived pesticide preparations found azadirachtin among the lower-toxicity pure compounds tested, with an estimated safe daily dose of approximately 15 mg/kg body weight, and concluded that reversible effects on reproduction were the most significant toxic endpoint observed across mammalian sub-acute and chronic exposure studies of neem-derived preparations more broadly (Boeke et al. 2004). Claim strength: Moderate.
A dedicated subchronic toxicity study administered azadirachtin technical (12% formulation) orally to male and female rats at doses of 500, 1,000 and 1,500 mg/kg/day for 90 days and found no signs of toxicity, mortality, or pathological changes at any dose tested, establishing the highest dose as a basis for calculating a no-observed-effect level for regulatory safety-margin purposes (et al. 2001). This is a standard agrochemical-registration-style safety study, reflecting azadirachtin’s primary regulatory pathway as a biopesticide active ingredient. Claim strength: Moderate.
Separate from its insecticidal application, neem-derived compounds including azadirachtin have been investigated for antimicrobial activity across dentistry, food safety, bacteriology, mycology, virology and parasitology research contexts, with a comprehensive review concluding that while evidence supporting neem as an antimicrobial source is growing, additional studies are needed to determine specific mechanisms of action, clinical efficacy, and in-vivo safety for human pathogen applications specifically (et al. 2022). Claim strength: Emerging.
For sourcing and formulation purposes, the honest framing is that azadirachtin’s primary commercial demand and best-established evidence base is agricultural (biopesticide, crop protection, and pest-control formulation) rather than human dietary supplementation; Herbuno’s azadirachtin-standardised neem extract is positioned accordingly, and formulators working in ingestible human supplement contexts should evaluate whether nimbin, neem leaf, or other neem-derived actives with more directly human-health-relevant research are a better fit than azadirachtin specifically. Claim strength: Moderate.
Dosage & Formulator Specification
Agricultural application rates for azadirachtin-based biopesticide formulations are typically specified in parts-per-million ranges targeted to specific insect life stages and crop types, following established agrochemical registration guidance rather than a human supplement dosing framework; formulators working in this application space should consult regional pesticide registration requirements directly.
Analytical quantification of azadirachtin content is performed by HPLC, the standard method used across both the agrochemical registration literature and neem extract quality control; formulators should request HPLC-verified azadirachtin percentage, since neem extracts can vary substantially in azadirachtin content depending on seed source, harvest timing, and extraction method.
Because azadirachtin’s toxicological and regulatory profile has been established primarily through the lens of agrochemical safety assessment rather than dietary supplement safety review, formulators considering human-ingestible applications should treat this as a genuinely different regulatory pathway requiring its own dedicated safety and regulatory evaluation, not an automatic extension of its established agricultural safety data.
Regulatory positioning for azadirachtin follows established biopesticide and agrochemical registration pathways in most markets, including specific registration requirements from bodies such as the US EPA and European Food Safety Authority for insecticidal use; this differs materially from the regulatory pathway for a dietary supplement ingredient, and formulators should not conflate the two without direct verification.
Frequently Asked Questions — Azadirachtin
Azadirachtin’s primary, best-established commercial application and research base is agricultural — as a biopesticide, insect growth regulator, and crop protection agent. While some antimicrobial research exists, formulators considering human-ingestible use should treat this as a distinct application requiring its own dedicated safety evaluation.
Toxicology studies in rats found no signs of toxicity even at high doses (up to 1,500 mg/kg/day) over 90 days, and a separate safety evaluation of neem-derived pesticides estimated a safe daily dose around 15 mg/kg body weight, with reversible reproductive effects identified as the most significant toxic endpoint in broader neem-preparation studies.
Rather than causing fast knockdown like many synthetic insecticides, azadirachtin acts primarily as an antifeedant and insect growth regulator, disrupting the synthesis and release of molting hormones so that larvae cannot mature normally, alongside deterring feeding and egg-laying behaviour.
Nimbin, another neem-derived limonoid, and general neem leaf extract carry a research base more directly oriented toward human-relevant applications such as topical and antimicrobial use, and may be a better fit than azadirachtin specifically for ingestible or human-health-positioned formulation work.
Related compounds: Berberine, Thymol