Aloe Vera

ALOE VERA

Aloe barbadensis

Common Name: Aloe, aloe vera, Barbados aloe, medicine plant, lily of the desert

Family: Asphodelaceae (formerly Liliaceae)

Chinese Medicine Name: Lu hui

Ayurvedic Name: Ghrita kumari

Parts Used: Fresh leaves, dried leaf resin, and gel extracted from fresh leaves

Native To: Southern and Eastern Africa

Uses

Aloe vera grows best in fertile, well-drained soil, though it can tolerate poor soil and moderate shade. Plants in less than ideal growing conditions will be considerably smaller than those found in sunny places with limestone-rich soil. A subtropical plant, aloe cannot survive temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. There are more than 360 known species of Aloe, though Aloe barbadensis is the most widely used and is considered the most valuable in herbalism. Aloe vera’s name comes from the Arabic alloeh, meaning “bitter, shiny substance.” Vera comes from the Latin, versus, which means “true,” a testament to its popularity in herbalism and as a cosmetic agent

At once a popular house plant and storied folk herb, aloe vera is one of the oldest known plants used in herbalism and cosmetic preparations on record. Drawings of aloe vera plants appear on the walls of caves and tombs in Egypt, and records reflect that aloes were common funerary plants used in Egyptian embalming practices. Cosmetically, aloe vera was a favorite of queens Cleopatra and Nefertiti, who rubbed fresh aloe on their skin as a means to preserve their beauty

Dioscorides wrote that aloe vera was effective for everything from skin complaints and constipation to kidney problems.

Sometimes called the “potted physician” or the “wand of heaven,” aloe vera has a variety of mythical associations. In Mexico, for example, people have traditionally planted aloe vera by their front door so that all those who entered their home would do so with good intentions. In the lore of the Seminole people, the coveted fountain of youth springs from a mass of aloe vera plants (Gage, 1996).

Historically, the Chinese, Romans, Algerians, Morrocans, Tunisians, and Arabs have all used aloe vera in both cosmetic and herbal preparations. The ancient Mayans revered the skin-soothing properties of aloe vera and routinely used it to improve their complexion. Records dating from the 16th century indicate that the Arabs used aloe vera for its powerful laxative properties, one of the most common ways that aloe vera was used until the early 1900s (Gage, 1996; Tenney, 1997).

Aloe vera has a diverse range of uses, and has been used successfully as a laxative and antimicrobial, for immune potentiation, and for its skin-soothing and vulnerary properties. Aloe vera has a natural pH of 4.3, which makes it an excellent preparation for skin and hair. What’s more, aloe vera contains a substance known as aloin, a natural sunscreen capable of blocking up to 30 percent of the sun’s ultraviolet rays. It is precisely aloe’s diversity, in fact, that helps to explain its wide-ranging clinical and folk applications.

Externally, aloe vera has been used to soothe radiation burns, skin problems, wounds, sunburns, frostbite, and cases of chronic and acute dermatitis. A common ingredient in first-aid creams, aloe vera contains salicylic acid and magnesium, substances that work synergistically to ease pain. Internally, aloe vera has been used as a laxative, to promote menstruation, aid in digestion, reduce inflammation, balance metabolic issues, support the kidneys in cases of stones, provide support during chemotherapy, and more recently, as an antiviral to slow the spread of HIV and other viruses from one cell to another.

Importantly, different parts of aloe vera are prepared and used in distinct ways. Often, the terms to describe aloe vera’s various components are used synonymously, causing confusion. Given the diversity of aloe’s raw components in commercial preparations, it is worthwhile to discuss them here. Those three components include aloe leaf juice, inner leaf juice, and aloe latex (IASC, 2009).

Aloe vera’s herbal applications are broad and well researched. Clinical studies have documented aloe vera’s efficacy in everything from hastening the resolution of wounds to soothing ulcerative colitis. Aloe vera has even been shown effective in reducing dental plaque.

Safety

Aloe vera is a strong cathartic and should be used with caution when taken internally; do not take aloe internally for longer than 1-2 weeks. Internal use can lead to painful stomach cramps and diarrhea and consequently disrupt electrolyte balance. Nursing and pregnant women should not take aloe vera internally. Though highly regarded as a vulnerary, aloe vera should not be used in cases of staph infection. Aloe vera’s gel can seal in the infection and cause staph to grow (Gladstar, 2008). In rare cases, topical applications of aloe vera have been linked to papular dermatitis and eczema. Aloe vera gel has also been shown to delay recovery in certain kinds of surgical wounds, including Cesarean sections. As such, aloe vera is not considered appropriate for deep, vertical wounds (Pizzorno & Murray, 2013).

References:

Gage, D. (1996). Aloe vera: Nature’s soothing healer. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press.

Gladstar, R. (2008). Rosemary Gladstar’s herbal recipes for vibrant health. Adams, MA: Storey Publishing.

International Aloe Science Council. (2009). Aloe scientific primer. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.iasc.org/Portals/19/Documents/Scientific/IASC_Aloe_vera_A_Scientific_Primer.pdf

Pizzorno, J.E., & Murray, M.T. (2013). Textbook of natural medicine (4th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.

Tenney, D. (1997). Aloe vera. Pleasant Grove, UT: Woodland Publishing.