An evergreen perennial, it originates from the Arabian Peninsula but grows wild in tropical, semi-tropical, and arid climates around the world.[rx] It is cultivated for commercial products, mainly as a topical treatment used over centuries.[rx][rx] The species is attractive for decorative purposes and succeeds indoors as a potted plant.[rx]
It is used in many consumer products, including beverages, skin lotion, cosmetics, ointments or in the form of gel for minor burns and sunburns. There is little clinical evidence for the effectiveness or safety of Aloe vera extract as a cosmetic or topical drug.[rx][rx] The name derives from Latin as aloe and vera (“true”).
Scientific Name: Aloe barbadensis, Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is one of the oldest known herbal medicine that can be traced back in ancient Egypt. Aloe vera plant was depicted on stone carvings and in Eber’s papyrus in 16th Century BCE, found in burial grounds of deceased pharaohs..
Aloe vera was historically used to heal wounds and treat various skin conditions, Aloe was also taken orally as a laxative. Nowadays, aloe extract is still popularly used as a home remedy for skin problems such as psoriasis, burns, sunburns, insect bites, and others. Aloe vera can be found in many skin products such as lotions, gels, and sunblocks. Other folkloric uses include treatment of arthritis, asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, and osteoarthritis.
Aloe Vera is a herb that grows in warm climates and is widely distributed in the Philippines, India, and Africa. Aloe Vera is widely used as traditional herbal medicine in China, Japan, Russia, South Africa, the United States, Jamaica, Latin America, and India. Aloe Vera is frequently cited as being used in herbal medicine for its anti-inflammatory, regenerative, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, and healing properties.
Aloe Vera is a herb that grows up to 35 cm in height with green leaves. Aloe Vera leaves are about 6 cm wide that grows up tapering with spiny margins. Aloe Vera flower grows erect from the herb to as much as twice the height of the plant. Aloe Vera flowers are yellow to red-yellow in a color that grows to about 2cm.
Aloe Vera Traditional Medicinal Uses and Health benefits
Aloe Vera in Traditional and Folkloric Medicine For Skin Problems
Aloe Vera is traditionally used to treat the following skin conditions
- skin burns,
- scalds,
- scrapes,
- sunburn
- wounds
- psoriasis and others
Aloe Vera juice or the fleshy leaf is applied directly to the affected skin, providing relief and believed to improve healing.
Aloe Vera is used for the treatment of hair related problems
- Dandruff,
- Thinning and falling hair,
- Baldness.
Fresh Aloe Vera juice or sap are massaged to the affected scalp and let it stay for a few minutes before washing.
Aloe Vera, Herbal Medicine For Conjunctivitis, Stomachic, Hemorrhoids and Diabetes
- Aloe Vera is used in conjunctivitis, Aloe leaf juice is applied to the outer eyelid
- In small doses, Aloe Vera is considered stomachic tonic; in large doses, as purgative.
- For hemorrhoids, Aloe Vera cuticle from its leaves is used as a suppository for hemorrhoids
- In some Arabian regions, Aloe Vera is used to treating diabetes.
Science-Based Studies and Research
Aloe Vera Mechanism of action in disease prevention
Aloe vera has several active constituents and most of them have therapeutic implications for disease prevention and treatment through the modulation of various biological and genetic activities. The possible mechanisms of actions of Aloe vera are described as follows:
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Aloe vera has aloe-emodin (AE), aloin (barbaloin), anthracene, and emodin found to be relevant to cancer prevention owing to the activation and inactivation of molecular pathways associated with them.
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Aloe vera functions as an antioxidant through free radical and superoxide radical-scavenging activities and anti-inflammatory activities via inhibition of prostaglandin E2 production from arachidonic acid and also inhibition of various transcription factors and the activities of enzymes including lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase.
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Aloe vera shows antimicrobial activity by rupturing bacterial cell walls. Earlier studies have reported the anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties of Aloe vera gel.
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4557234/
Aloe Vera has Anti Leukemic Function through its Anti-Mutagenic Activity
A study that isolated di(2)-Ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) from Aloe vera found that Aloe Vera exhibited growth inhibition against three leukemic cell lines and reduced AF-2-induced mutagenicity. DEHP was considered the active principle responsible for the anti-leukemic and anti-mutagenic effects in vitro.
Extracts of Aloe vera Linne have been found to exhibit cytotoxicity against human tumor cell lines.
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10864149
Aloe vera has Wound Healing, Anti-cancer and Immune stimulation Activities
Study isolated a major carbohydrate fraction from the gel of Aloe vera leaf. It has been claimed to accelerate wound healing, immune stimulation and have anti-cancer and anti-viral effects. The study showed acemannan an extract found from Aloe vera stimulates cytokine production, nitric oxide release. The production of cytokines IL-6 and TNF-alpha were acemannan dose-dependent. The results suggest acemannan may function, in part, through macrophage activation.
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25233608
Aloe Vera, Promotes Bone Regeneration and Formation (osteoformation)
Studies suggest that acemannan, a polysaccharide extracted from Aloe vera gel, could affect bone formation. Acemannan could function as a bioactive molecule inducing bone formation by stimulating BMSCs proliferation, differentiation into osteoblasts, and extracellular matrix synthesis. Acemannan extracted from Aloe vera could be a candidate for natural biomaterial for bone regeneration.
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23315202
Aloe Vera for Biochemotherapy: An effective support for Chemotherapy
The study showed the percentage of both objective tumor regressions and disease control was significantly higher in patients concomitantly treated with Aloe than with chemotherapy alone. The study suggests Aloe may be beneficial to use with chemotherapy to increase efficacy in terms of both tumor regression and survival time.
Aloe Vera as Antigenotoxic :
Study showed antigenotoxic potentials of aloe and suggests a potential use in the prevention of DNA damage caused by chemical agents.
Aloe-emodin / Anticancer / Antiproliferative :
Study sh owed aloe-emodin inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in two human liver cancer cell lines, but with different antiproliferative mechanisms. Results suggest aloe-emodin may be useful in liver cancer prevention.
Aloeride / Immunostimulatory Activity :
Study characterized a new immunostimulatory polysaccharide, Aloeride, from commercial aloe vera juice
How to Get and How to Use
Where can I get or buy Aloe Vera?
Aloe vera are widely cultivated and generally grown in pots. It can be bought it from your local horticulturist and at a time at home depot shops as an ornamental plant. Aloe vera is also widely used as an ingredient in cosmetic and herbal preparations.
Aloe vera leaves contain a clear gel that is often used as a topical ointment. The green part of the Aloe leaf that surrounds the gel can be used to produce a juice or a dried substance (called latex) that is taken by mouth.
Dosage, Warnings, and Side Effects
- Use of topical aloe vera is not associated with significant side effects.
- A 2-year National Toxicology Program (NTP) study on oral consumption of non-decolorized whole leaf extract of aloe vera found clear evidence of carcinogenic activity in male and female rats, based on tumors of the large intestine. According to the NTP, from what is known right now there is nothing that would lead them to believe that these findings are not relevant to humans. However, more information, including how individuals use different types of aloe vera products, is needed to determine the potential risks to humans.
- Abdominal cramps and diarrhea have been reported with oral use of aloe vera.
- Diarrhea, caused by the laxative effect of oral aloe vera, can decrease the absorption of many drugs.
- People with diabetes who use glucose-lowering medication should be cautious if also taking aloe vera by mouth because preliminary studies suggest aloe may lower blood glucose levels.
- There have been a few case reports of acute hepatitis from aloe vera taken orally. However, the evidence is not definitive.
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