(Linn.) Spreng.
Habitat: Cultivated in Tamil Nadu; Maharashtra and North India.
English: Curry-Leaf tree.Ayurvedic: Surabhini-nimba.Unani: Karipattaa.Siddha/Tamil: Karuveppilei, Karivempu, Kattuveppilei.Folk: Mithaa Neem, Kathneem, Gandhela, Barsanga.Action: Leaf—stomachic, antiprotozoal, spasmolytic; promotes appetite and digestion, destroys pathogenic organism, antidysen- teric. Externally, used against skin eruptions.
All parts of the plant, especially the leaves, are rich in carbazole alkaloids (several carbazole bases have been isolated). The leaves also gave a coumarin glucoside, scopolin.The beta-carotene content of curry leaves was found decreased on cooking; deep frying resulted in maximum loss.Inclusion of curry leaves in the diet of diabetic patients reduced the blood glucose level appreciably (it did not produce any insulin response).The steam distillate of the leaves is reported to exhibit antifungal and in- secticidal activities.The ethanolic extract of the stem bark showed anti-inflammatory effect in carrageenan-induced inflammation in rats.
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