International Science Community Association International Research Journal of Biological Sciences 2278-3202 7 12 2018 12 10 Mode of action of Azadirachtin: A natural insecticide 41 46 EN Pahari Priti Ranjan 1 PG Department of Zoology, Tamralipta Mahavidyalaya, Tamluk, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, 721636, India Das Mitali 2 PG Department of Zoology, Tamralipta Mahavidyalaya, Tamluk, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, 721636, India Bhattacharya Tanmay 3 Department of Zoology, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, West Bengal, 721102, India Kaur Sundeep 1 Department of Microbiology, Dolphin (PG) College of Science and Agriculture, Chunni Kalan-140307, Punjab, India . Sonam 2 Department of Microbiology, Dolphin (PG) College of Science and Agriculture, Chunni Kalan-140307, Punjab, India Kaur Pardeep 3 Department of Microbiology, Dolphin (PG) College of Science and Agriculture, Chunni Kalan-140307, Punjab, India Pradeep G. 1 Department of Microbiology, Gulbarga University, Kalaburagi, Karnataka-585106, India Mendem S.K. 2 Department of Microbiology, Gulbarga University, Kalaburagi, Karnataka-585106, India Math G.C. 3 Department of Microbiology, Gulbarga University, Kalaburagi, Karnataka-585106, India Shivannavar C.T. 4 Department of Microbiology, Gulbarga University, Kalaburagi, Karnataka-585106, India Gaddad S.M. 5 Department of Microbiology, Gulbarga University, Kalaburagi, Karnataka-585106, India Kimsing Abprez Thungwon 1 Ecology and Wildlife Biology Unit, Department of Zoology, Rajiv Gandhi University, Doimukh-791112, Arunachal Pradesh, India Zongsam Rengnong 2 Ecology and Wildlife Biology Unit, Department of Zoology, Rajiv Gandhi University, Doimukh-791112, Arunachal Pradesh, India Mize Daniel 3 Ecology and Wildlife Biology Unit, Department of Zoology, Rajiv Gandhi University, Doimukh-791112, Arunachal Pradesh, India W.S.R. Fonseka 1 Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Eastern University, Sri Lanka M.M. Mahusoon 2 Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Eastern University, Sri Lanka K. Narmhikaa 3 Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Eastern University, Sri Lanka Pankaj Kalita 1 Department of Chemistry, Arya Vidyapeeth College, Gopinath Nagar, Guwahati, Assam, India E. Jebarubi 1 Post Graduate and Research Department of Botany, St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Palayamkottai, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Abishekapatti 627 012, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India S. Christopher Patrick Kiladi 2 Post Graduate and Research Department of Botany, St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Palayamkottai, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Abishekapatti 627 012, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India T. Leon Stephan Raj 3 Post Graduate and Research Department of Botany, St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Palayamkottai, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Abishekapatti 627 012, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India Dhra Gulshan 1 Institute of Pesticide Formulation Technology (IPFT), Sec-20, Udyog Vihar, Gurugram-122016, Haryana, India Ahmad Mobin 2 Institute of Pesticide Formulation Technology (IPFT), Sec-20, Udyog Vihar, Gurugram-122016, Haryana, India Kumar Jitendra 3 Institute of Pesticide Formulation Technology (IPFT), Sec-20, Udyog Vihar, Gurugram-122016, Haryana, India Patanjali P.K. 4 Institute of Pesticide Formulation Technology (IPFT), Sec-20, Udyog Vihar, Gurugram-122016, Haryana, India > Review Paper 2018 7 31 2018 12 10 Azadirachta indica is an important tree of meliaceae family and grow in tropical and subtropical areas in Southeast Asia. It is used for shade, reforestation and for production of natural insecticides and being used as medicinally (formulations or crude extracts) as well for various diseases since long back 3-4 decades in India specifically, its extract contains various biologically active components commonly known as tritepenoid or limonoids like, azadirachtin, salanin, nimbin, meliacin, valassin and gedunin etc., from different parts of the tree but, azadirachtin is very crucial in natural insecticidal/larvicidal activities (antifeedancy, growth regulator and reproduction effects) and many more like, antiallergenic, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and many more. Insect growth regulator (IGR), antifeedancy and reproductive effects are well understood and published in earlier literature. Also antifeedant effects are not consistent among various species of the insects; on the other hand, insect growth regulator (IGR), moulting, growth and reproductive effects are well consistent with different species. But still a lot remains to be known about the mode of action at cellular/molecular level and structure-property relationship of azadirachtin molecule and need some modern techniques like computational studies of the interaction. The mode of action of azadirachtin primarily consist of effects on the chemoreceptors which leads to antifeedancy and effects on juvenile and ecdysteroid hormones e.g., PTTH and allatotropins. Apart from these there are effects which are overall growth and development of the insects. In this article we are presenting the behavioural/physiological effects of the azadirachtin. These include other effects also like, neem resistance, growth reduction, and moulting deviations, enhanced mortality and categorically have direct effects on tissues and cell and indirect effects including endocrine system. It also gives some details regarding the studies conducted so far with interest of the mode of action of the azadirachtin at cellular level. 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