Nimbin is an anti-pyretic, can be used to treat arthritis, hypoglycaemia, peptic ulcers, anti-secretory activity, and it can also be used as an antibiotic. Nimbin requires to elicit a 50% inhibition of this steroid hydroxylase activity in the three insect species examined ranged from approximately 2 x 10(-5) to 1 x 10(-3). Nimbin also shows anti-feedant activity and toxicity against larvae of three species of Lepidoptera, Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd), Spodoptera frugiperda (FE Smith) and Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) and nymphs of the locusts Schistocerca gregaria (Forskål) and Locusta migratoria (L).