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This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider before using herbs, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or have a medical condition.
Melia azedarach contains bioactive limonoids, including azadirachtin and toosendanin, which exhibit antiparasitic activity through multiple mechanisms. These compounds disrupt parasite feeding, growth, and reproduction by interfering with hormonal regulation and metabolic processes in target organisms. Azadirachtin inhibits feeding and development in various parasites, while toosendanin affects neuromuscular function. Evidence level C indicates these mechanisms are supported primarily by in vitro and animal studies, with limited human clinical data available.
Does Melia azedarach interact with any medications?
Melia azedarach may interact with medications metabolized by the liver due to its hepatotoxic potential. Concurrent use with hepatotoxic drugs, such as high-dose acetaminophen, certain antibiotics, or statins, may increase the risk of liver damage. The herb may also potentiate hypoglycemic effects when combined with antidiabetic medications. Patients taking immunosuppressants or anticoagulants should exercise caution. Evidence level C limits definitive interaction data. Consult a healthcare provider before combining with prescription medications.
What is the recommended dosage for Melia azedarach bark tea?
The traditional adult dosage for Melia azedarach is 1-2 grams of dried bark prepared as a tea, used for short-term administration only. Treatment should not exceed several consecutive days due to cumulative toxicity risks. Higher doses significantly increase the risk of nausea and liver damage. The berries are highly toxic and should never be consumed internally under any circumstances. Evidence level C indicates dosage recommendations are based primarily on traditional use rather than standardized clinical trials.
Is Melia azedarach safe to take during pregnancy?
Melia azedarach is contraindicated during pregnancy and should be strictly avoided. The plant contains compounds that may stimulate uterine contractions and pose significant risks to fetal development. The berries are particularly toxic and have been associated with severe and sometimes fatal poisonings. The herb's hepatotoxic potential poses additional risks during pregnancy when liver metabolism is already stressed. Breastfeeding women should also avoid this herb. Evidence level C supports these safety concerns based on traditional knowledge and animal studies.
What are the side effects of Melia azedarach?
Common side effects of Melia azedarach include nausea, vomiting, and gastrointestinal discomfort, particularly at higher doses. More serious adverse effects include liver toxicity, which may manifest as elevated liver enzymes, jaundice, or abdominal pain. The berries are highly toxic and have caused fatal poisonings, especially in children. Neurological symptoms including dizziness, headache, and respiratory distress have been reported with overdose. Evidence level C indicates these adverse effects are documented through case reports and traditional knowledge rather than controlled clinical studies.
What is Melia azedarach used for in traditional medicine?
Melia azedarach has been used traditionally across tropical regions as an antiparasitic agent for intestinal worms and external parasites. Folk medicine applications include treating skin conditions such as scabies, eczema, and fungal infections through topical preparations. The plant has also been employed for antiviral and antimicrobial purposes. Additional traditional uses include fever reduction and treatment of inflammatory conditions. Evidence level C indicates these applications are supported by preliminary pharmacological studies and ethnobotanical records, though robust human clinical trials remain limited.
PubMed-compiled information sheet
This sheet was compiled from PubMed (NIH) abstracts using AI assistance. Every factual claim is cited to a real PubMed article (see the source list). It has not yet been human-reviewed — confirm with a healthcare provider before use.
Compiled from 30 PubMed articles · model: gemma4:31b
Summary
Melia azedarach, also known as the chinaberry tree, is a Meliaceae species used in traditional medicine for its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antiparasitic properties [PMID:18763152, 35737705, 37979816].
Background
Melia azedarach is a tree native to Southeast Asia and northern Australia, though it has become an invasive species in the United States [PMID:32197892]. It is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of China and is considered an economically important timber and medicinal species [PMID:35871227, 38972991].
Traditional uses
In traditional Chinese medicine, it is used orally and topically as an antiparasitic and antifungal agent [PMID:18763152]. It is also traditionally used to control pain, pyrexia, inflammation, and bacterial infections, with the roots specifically used as an expectorant and for the treatment of cough and asthma [PMID:37979816].
Active compounds
The plant contains limonoids (including toosendanin), triterpenoids, alkaloids, phenolic acids, and flavonoids [PMID:35756442, 39117217, 37630622]. Specific compounds identified include meliazedarines J-U in the roots [PMID:37739201], meliazedarachins A-K in the fruits [PMID:35716716], and various pregnane steroids in the leaves [PMID:34181358].
Mechanism of action
Limonoids from the fruit have been shown to suppress the expression of iNOS and JAK2 and modulate the NF-κB signaling cascade to exert anti-inflammatory effects [PMID:39594480]. Other root-derived limonoids inhibit NLRP3 inflammasome activation to reduce interleukin-1β secretion [PMID:37739201].
Clinical evidence
Evidence DInflammation
Limonoids from roots and fruits significantly suppressed nitric oxide production and inflammatory mediators (IL-6, TNF-α) in in vitro macrophage models [PMID:37739201, 39594480]
Evidence DSARS-CoV-2
Leaf extracts demonstrated robust anti-SARS-CoV-2 activities in vitro with an IC50 of 6.922 μg/mL [PMID:36888689]
Evidence DBacterial Infections
Methanolic leaf extracts exhibit broad-spectrum antibacterial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens [PMID:37630622]
Evidence DAsthma
Fruit extract reduced pulmonary inflammation and mucus hypersecretion in a murine model of ovalbumin-exposed asthma [PMID:37979816]
Evidence DCancer
Certain triterpenoids (Meliazedarachin K) and pregnane steroids showed cytotoxicity against human cancer cell lines, including HCT116 and T47D cells [PMID:35716716, 34181358]
Safety & adverse effects
Ingestion of the plant, particularly the berries, can lead to poisoning characterized by gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, respiratory, and neurologic disturbances [PMID:32197892]. Human symptoms reported include weakness, myalgia, numbness, and ptosis [PMID:18763152]. In dogs, ingestion of fallen fruit caused acute gastrointestinal and CNS disturbances, resulting in death within 36 hours [PMID:9170094].
Evidence summary
The current evidence is primarily based on in vitro cell studies, animal models, and case reports of poisoning (Level D). There are no human clinical trials (Level B) or systematic reviews (Level A) provided regarding therapeutic efficacy.
PubMed sources
1.PMID: 9170094 (1997) — Chinaberry poisoning in two dogs. · Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
2.PMID: 39220731 (2024) — Physicochemical and Emulsifying Properties of Melia azedarach Gum. · Scientifica
3.PMID: 39117217 (2024) — Ecotoxicological evaluation of an aqueous phytoextract of Melia azedarach L. · The Science of the total environment
4.PMID: 37739201 (2023) — Limonoids from the roots of Melia azedarach and their anti-inflammatory activity. · Phytochemistry
5.PMID: 35716716 (2022) — Triterpenoids from the fruits of Melia azedarach L. and their cytotoxic activities. · Phytochemistry
6.
Government sources
No direct government monograph is available for this herb. The content below is AI-generated and has not been verified against an authoritative government source. Use the search links to check official sources before relying on this information.
7.PMID: 39594480 (2024) — Chemical Constituents from the Fruit of Melia azedarach and Their Anti-Inflammatory Activity. · Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
8.PMID: 35401058 (2022) — Pharmaceutical Assessment of Melia azedarach Gum as a Binder and Disintegrant in Immediate-Release Tablets. · TheScientificWorldJournal
9.PMID: 35737705 (2022) — Evaluation of Melia azedarach extract-loaded poly (vinyl alcohol)/pectin hydrogel for burn wound healing. · PloS one
10.PMID: 34960677 (2021) — Identification of a New Badnavirus in the Chinaberry (Melia azedarach) Tree and Establishment of a LAMP-LFD Assay for Its Rapid and Visual Detection. · Viruses
11.PMID: 30445850 (2019) — Chemical constituents from the leaves of Melia azedarach. · Natural product research
12.PMID: 32197892 (2020) — Melia Azedarach Ingestions Reported to Texas Poison Centers. · The Journal of emergency medicine
13.PMID: 21569263 (2011) — Larvicidal effects of Chinaberry (Melia azederach) powder on Anopheles arabiensis in Ethiopia. · Parasites & vectors
14.PMID: 35871227 (2022) — Predicting suitable habitats of Melia azedarach L. in China using data mining. · Scientific reports
15.PMID: 42211672 (2025) — Chemical Composition and Control Potential of Melia azedarach Extracts Against Culex pipiens. · Journal of arthropod-borne diseases
16.PMID: 42297772 (2026) — Targeting the senescence‒autophagy axis via p16INK4a inhibition alleviates pulmonary fibrosis. · Signal transduction and targeted therapy
17.PMID: 31545102 (2020) — Isolation of bioactive limonoids from the fruits of Melia azedarach. · Journal of Asian natural products research
18.PMID: 36888689 (2023) — Bioactive Azadirachta indica and Melia azedarach leaves extracts with anti-SARS-CoV-2 and antibacterial activities. · PloS one
19.PMID: 37630622 (2023) — Antibacterial Properties of Methanolic Leaf Extracts of Melia azedarach L. against Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Pathogenic Bacteria. · Microorganisms
20.PMID: 30094242 (2018) — Repellent and Lethal Activities of Extracts From Fruits of Chinaberry (Melia azedarach L., Meliaceae) Against Triatoma infestans. · Frontiers in veterinary science
21.PMID: 38972991 (2024) — Complete mitochondrial genome of Melia azedarach L., reveals two conformations generated by the repeat sequence mediated recombination. · BMC plant biology
22.PMID: 35756442 (2022) — The complete genome sequence of Melia azedarach Linn. (Meliaceae): a multi-purpose pesticide species. · Mitochondrial DNA. Part B, Resources
23.PMID: 25935845 (2015) — Repellent efficacy of DEET, MyggA, neem (Azedirachta indica) oil and chinaberry (Melia azedarach) oil against Anopheles arabiensis, the principal malaria vector in Ethiopia. · Malaria journal
24.PMID: 36360161 (2022) — Climate-Driven Adaptive Differentiation in Melia azedarach: Evidence from a Common Garden Experiment. · Genes
25.PMID: 37979816 (2024) — Melia azedarach L. reduces pulmonary inflammation and mucus hypersecretion on a murine model of ovalbumin exposed asthma. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
26.PMID: 26485025 (2015) — Limonoids from Melia azedarach Fruits as Inhibitors of Flaviviruses and Mycobacterium tubercolosis. · PloS one
27.PMID: 36362399 (2022) — Phytochemical and Antioxidant Profile of the Medicinal Plant Melia azedarach Subjected to Water Deficit Conditions. · International journal of molecular sciences
28.PMID: 34181358 (2021) — Pregnane Steroids from the Leaves of Melia Azedarach and Apoptotic Activity against T47D Cells. · Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP