Side effects when breathing neem oil

by Jeanine Giardina
(Los Angeles, CA, USA)

What are the side effects of breathing neem oil after spraying the garden? I've been told that breathing neem oil can cause lightheadedness and dizziness. Please advise how it adversely affects humans when breathing it.

Thank you.

PS.: I wasn't able to find the answer through your website.

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Side effects when breathing neem oil

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Spraying neem oil
by: Birgit

If you read that warning on a bottle of a ready made spray it might have been because the spray contained other chemicals as well. Many garden sprays have neem oil as one ingredient, to give it some "green" image, but they also contain chemicals that you'd better not inhale.

Neem oil is not volatile. You might smell it but you can not inhale the oil. If you inhaled any of the spray itself while you spray it would not harm you.

See the page about the safety considerations when spraying neem. I don't address inhalation itself because it isn't an issue, but even from the points I do address you can see that as long as you use pure neem oil (diluted in water with an appropriate detergent/soap) there is absolutely nothing to worry about.

You can spray yourself with the stuff if you like or bathe in it. It's only a 1% or 2% watery solution after all. It won't hurt you. In fact, it's good for your skin.

But do read the fine print on the container if you buy ready made garden sprays. Who knows what might be in them!

Side effects of inhaling neem spray
by: DEE

Sorry, but I have to differ with your opinion. Every time (once a week) that I spray the greenhouse plants with neem at the recommended solution level, my lungs have rebelled violently.

Over my mouth and nose I have tried a single layer of fabric, a double layer of fabric, and a regular (commercial) anti-pollution mask to avoid the worst of the spray, all to no avail. Last night, after trying once more in the morning to spray without having a bad reaction, I was awake all night struggling to breathe around the apparent build-up of mucous and/or coating of oil in my lungs.

Today, I have been coughing like crazy to rid myself of whatever is blocking my airways and preventing comfortable intake of oxygen. At one point I was ready to pick up the phone to call 911 because I couldn't get enough O2 to keep from blacking out. The product is regular neem oil with nothing added which our master gardener gets from an organic gardening source, prepared at the rate of one T per gallon of water.

Needless to say, someone else is taking over that job.

To anyone who has had adverse affects to inhalation.
by: Christopher Rowe

As with any substance that is atomized in the air micro particles of the substance has the potential to enter into your airways.

Most of the time our lungs metabolize the particles, however tests have shown that particles 2.5 Microns(PM2.5)in size can begin the subject into wheezing and coughing through a triggered, automatic response.

At this point its hard to say whether its the Neem Oil causing the effects or simply the size of the particles you inhaled.

Whether it be Neem Oil, cooking oil, smoke, or dust the effects can be the same, once the particle is large enough to trigger that coughing response.

There are many other factors that can also cause this response. If the particle, regardless of size, has any kind of inflammatory response to the tissues in the airways it too can cause a response.

Also the most common issue being allergic reaction. Neem Oil is a natural plant based oil with many types of chemicals contained within it that makes it do what it does so well.. If any one of those chemicals does not bode well with your physiology then you may experience the same result.

Take precautions and wear a certified respirator or filtered breathing apparatus when spraying, if you still have a breathing issue its possible the reaction could be trans-dermal, though more unlikely.

Inhaling Neem Mist
by: RNDeb

I thank you all for your comments on this subject.

I was looking for answers for a couple of reasons and believe I have my answer. As for the person who has such a bad reaction to neem spray, it definitely sounds like an allergic reaction. Might be best to get someone else to do your spraying if at all possible. As a medical professional I believe an ounce of preventive maintenance is worth more than a pound of cure!

Side-effects
by: Anonymous

I usually use the neem oil on my dogs for fleas and mosquitoes and it seems to help. I usually bath them first then apply the oil once they are somewhat dry but for some reason I always feel light headed afterwards so I don't know if I will continue to use it.

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