L’azadirachtine, un pesticide naturel aux effets multiples

There are many studies devoted to the negative impact of conventional pesticides that effectively control pests, but cause widespread environmental pollution. As a result, interest is growing in pesticides of a natural origin with a lower environmental impact. Among them, azadirachtin, sold under various formulations (neem oil, Neem-Azal, Bioneem, etc.), is still the most widely recommended molecule in agricultural ecosystems. Azadirachtin has also been used in traditional medicine for centuries, and studies published over the past few years have tended to support its therapeutic use. Yet the argument that azadirachtin is harmless to the environment has been offset by its notable collateral and controversial effects on non-target organisms. The present paper summarizes the work already done in this field.