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Margosa as a Disinfectant and AnalgesicMargosa (Azadirachta indica) has long been used in India as an analgesic and a disinfectant.
It also has tremendous potential as an insecticide. The recent patent on Azadirachtin A, a Margosa derivative, by the Grace Company of USA has raised many difficult issues that beg to be answered.
The use of Margosa has been described in the ancient Ayurvedic texts of India and its usage is very prevalent in modern day Indian society as well.
How then will this patenting of Azadirachtin A affect the use of Margosa here? The answer is not quite as complex if it is thought out logically. Obviously the patenting of a plant that is indigenous to an area is a foolhardy step and one that does not even beg discussion.
What may be patented is a derivative that is extracted from the plant that has properties that make it superior to naturally occurring Margosa.
There have been many debates regarding this issue and much has been said and written about this unwarranted patent. However this incident also serves as an eye opener for nations with a history of traditional medicine. Proper research must be carried out by countries to exploit the knowledge gleaned from ancient medical texts and to adapt them for modern day use. At the same time, proper care must be taken to obtain the necessary patents so that this knowledge is not exploited by other unscrupulous parties.
Coming back to the subject of Margosa, it is a well known disinfectant, anti-inflammatory analgesic, and antipyretic.
Research by Dr Govindachari also gives us an important insight into the use of Margosa as an insecticide. It is now imperative for Indian institutions to follow up on this research work and develop modern day medications based on Margosa that can be used effectively.
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