The scientific name of the Neem Tree is Azadirachta indica which literally stands for 'The Free Tree of India' as 'Azad' means 'Free', 'dirakht' means 'Tree' and 'indica' stands for 'of Indian origin'.

The small fragrant white flowers are bisexual or staminate (male) and are borne in clusters in the axils of the leaves. The fruit is a smooth yellow-green drupe and has a sweet-flavoured pulp. The flowering season of neem varies from place to place. Generally it flowers from January to May and the ripening time of fruits is from May to August. The fruit pulp is edible.

It has been declared as the 'Tree of the 21st Century' by the UN as every part of the tree serves a useful purpose. The twigs can be used as a toothbrush. The bark and leaves can be used for the treatment of inflamation, infections, fever, skin diseases and dental disorders. The gum is used as a tablet binder and film coating. The dried leaves are used to reduce tooth plaque and to treat lice.

The US National Academy of Science published a book in 1992 titled Neem: A Tree for Solving Global Problems, which provides an insight on the prediction made by scientists on the usefulness of the Neem Tree and its impending impact on the pharmaceutical industry at large.