Neem Patents
Currently Neem is seen to have vast business potential. While commercial viability of Neem is not a totally new story as a lot of toothpastes, soaps, shampoos and cosmetics have used active principles and extracts of Neem for years in India. What is new is that modern packaging technique and technology is being incorporated for into product development sophisticated markets.
The tremendous international interest in Neem can be gauged by the number of patents filed on the various properties, active principles and their extraction and stabilizing processes in US and Japan.
Over 30 patents have already been granted, and this seems to have whipped a north-south confrontation. The issue at the core of the a worldwide debate appears to be who controls genetic resources - traditional cultures or transnational corporations?
While this debate seems set to continue for sometime the Neem tree seems determined to carry on its good work.