Taking neem leaf or neem bark orally and applying a cream containing neem oil topically has been used for centuries to reduce inflammation. A compound called sodium nimbinate found in neem leaves has been shown to provide significant relief to inflamed tissue. Other compounds such as nimbin, nimbinin and nimbidol are comparable to cortisone acetate in reducing inflammation. In one test with hydrocortisone, neem extract (sodium nimbinate) and several natural saponins neem was over four times more effective at reducing inflammation than hydrocortisone and more effective than the other agents tested.