Phytochemical wealth of neem leaves: A pathway to nutraceutical and therapeutic innovations

Abstract

Phytochemicals are plant-derived bioactive compounds widely recognized for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and disease-preventive properties. Neem (Azadirachta indica) leaves, rich in flavonoids, phenolic acids, and vitamins, hold significant potential in nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and animal nutrition applications. In this study, phytochemical profiling of neem leaf extracts was carried out using LC-MS/MS to identify major flavonoids, phenolic acids, and vitamins. Results revealed a high concentration of flavonoids such as rutin (459.43 µg/g), epicatechin (113.79 µg/g), quercetin (91.39 µg/g), and epigallocatechin (83.74 µg/g), along with notable amounts of luteolin and myricetin. Among phenolic acids, p-coumaric acid (1521.99 µg/g) was most abundant, followed by gallic acid (489.72 µg/g), cinnamic acid (596.38 µg/g), and protocatechuic acid (132.45 µg/g), all known for strong antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cardioprotective activities. Furthermore, neem leaves were found to contain essential water-soluble vitamins, including pyridoxine (314.70 ng/g), cyanocobalamin (149.15 ng/g), and niacin (50.63 ng/g), along with fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin K1 (919.43 ng/g) and tocopherol (6735.03 ng/g), which enhance antioxidant and immune-supportive functions. The combined presence of these phytochemicals and vitamins underscores the medicinal potential of neem leaves, positioning them as valuable candidates for dietary supplementation, disease prevention, and functional feed formulation in both human and animal health.