Description
A medium to large sized tree, 15-20m in height with a clear bole of 7.0m having grayish to dark grey tubercled bark, leaved compound, imparipinnate, leaflets, subopposutem serrate, very oblique at base; flowers cream or yellowish white in axillary panicles, staminal tubes conspicuous, cylindric, widening above 9-10 lobed at the apex: fruits one-seeded drupes with woody endocarp greenish yellow when ripe, seeds ellipsoid, cotyledons thick, fleshy and oily. 

Chemical Constituents
the stembark contain: tannin, non-tannin and red dye. The bark exudes a clear, bright, amber -colored gum, known as the East-India Gum. The neem leaves contain nimbin, nimbinene, 6-desacetynimbinene, bimbandiol, nimbolide and quercetin. The presence of B-sitosterol, no-hexacosanol and nonacosane is also reported in neem leaves. Analysis of the mature neem tree leaves gave mositure, protein, fat, fibres, carbohydrates, and minerals, calcium phosporus, iron, thiamine, niacin, vitamin carotene and cal val. The amino acids present in neem tree seeds and leaves are: glutamic acid, tyrosine, aspartic acid alanine, proline, and glutamine. The neem fruits contain gedunin, 7-deacetoxy-7a-hydroxy gedunin, azadiradione, azadirone, 17B-hydroxy-azadiradione, 17-epiazadiradione and nimbiol. 

Cosmtic uses
Blood purifier and beauty enhancer Neem is highly anti-bacterial and therefore the neem leaves have been used for centuries to make anti-bacterial washes and poultices. Use the neem leaves extract in face packs, body wraps, and for acne prone skin. Add to (mild) scrubs for skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis. Use in a gardeners hand scrub with corn meal to provide anti-bacterial cleansing after working in the soil. The neem oil is used in hair dressings; resin is added to skin lotions. 

Neem oil, leaves and neem extracts are used to manufacture health and beauty care products. Some of such products are soaps, bath powders, shampoos, lotions and creams, toothpastes, neem leaf tablets to increase immunity, insect repellents, pet care products, etc. 

The margosa oil is used for burning and for hydrogenation. Neem tree is considered a good purifier of air due to its large leaf area. Oil cake, obtained from neem seeds, is used as a fertiliser and manure. Neem leaves are used to repel insects and to preserve woollens. Extract of neem tree leaves is used in soaps.