Dictionary:

aloe

  (ăl'ō)

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1. Any of various chiefly African plants of the genus Aloe, having rosettes of succulent, often spiny-margined leaves and long stalks bearing yellow, orange, or red tubular flowers.
2. See aloe vera.
3. aloes (used with a sing. verb) A laxative drug obtained from the processed juice of a certain species of aloe. Also called bitter aloes.

[Middle English, from Old English aluwe, from Latin aloē, from Greek.]

Description

Appearance

Aloe vera, a member of the lily family, is a spiky, succulent, perennial plant. It is indigenous to eastern and southern Africa, but has been spread throughout many of the warmer regions of the world, and is also popularly grown indoors. There are about 300 identified species, but Aloe vera ("true aloe") is the most popular for medical applications. It has also been known as Aloe vulgaris ("common aloe") and Aloe barbadensis. The plant has yellow flowers and triangular, fleshy leaves with serrated edges that arise from a central base and may grow to nearly 2 ft (0.6 m) long. Each leaf is composed of three layers. A clear gel, that is the part of the plant used for topical application is contained within the cells of the generous inner portion. Anthraquinones, which exert a marked laxative effect, are contained in the bitter yellow sap of the middle leaf layer. The fibrous outer part of the leaf serves a protective function.

History

Aloe vera has been in use for thousands of years, and is mentioned in records as long ago as 1750 B.C. Use of the plant is thought to have originated in Egypt or the Middle East. It was reputedly used in Egyptian embalming procedures, as drawings of Aloe vera have been found on cave walls in the region. Legend has it that Aloe vera was one of Cleopatra's secrets for keeping her skin soft. Pliny and Dioscorides of ancient Greece wrote of the healing effects of this plant. Additionally, Alexander the Great is said to have acquired Madagascar so that he could utilize the Aloe vera growing there to treat soldiers' wounds. It is also a remedy which has long been used in the Indian practice of Ayurvedic medicine.

In the United States, Aloe vera was in use by the early 1800s, but primarily as a laxative. A turning point occurred in the mid-1930s, when a woman with chronic and severe dermatitis resulting from x-ray treatments was healed by an application of Aloe vera leaf gel. Success with this patient encouraged trials with others suffering from radiation burns. Evidence of the effectiveness remained anecdotal until 1953, when Lushbaugh and Hale produced a convincing study, using Aloe vera to treat beta radiation lesions in rats. Other experimental protocols have been carried out using animals since that time, but there is little human research data to describe the degree of effectiveness of Aloe vera treatment. Some evidence suggests that it is especially helpful in the elderly and other people with impaired health or failing immune systems.

Biologic Components

Aloe vera contains a wealth of substances that are biologically active. The laxative, and in large doses, purgative, effects of Aloe vera latex are attributable to a group of chemicals known as the anthraquinones. Aloin, barbaloin, and aloe-emodin, and aloectic acid, are a few of the anthraquinones contained in the latex layer. The latest, and perhaps most exciting component discovered in Aloe vera is a biologically active polysaccharide known as acetylated mannose, or acemannan. This substance has been shown to be a highly effective immune stimulant, with activity against the viruses causing the flu, measles, and early stages of AIDS. It has been used effectively against some veterinary cancers, most notably sarcoma, and is being investigated as an agent to be used to treat cancer in humans. Acemannan is one of many saccharides contained in Aloe vera. Some of the others are arabinose, cellulose, galactose, mannose, and xylose. Prostaglandins are a third important set of compounds, and are thought to play a major role in wound healing. Aloe vera also contains fatty acids, enzymes, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and other substances. The interaction of all these components produces a favorable environment for wound healing.

General Use

Few botanicals are as well known or as highly thought of as the Aloe vera plant. Throughout recorded history, it has been used to keep skin beautiful and restore it to health. A frequent moisturizing ingredient in cosmetics and hair care products, it also promotes the healing of burns and superficial wounds, but should not be used on deep or surgical wounds of punctures. Topical application has been successful in treatment of sunburn, frostbite, radiation injuries, some types of dermatitis, psoriasis, cuts, insect stings, poison ivy, ulcerations, abrasions, and other dermatologic problems. Healing is promoted by the anti-inflammatory components, including several glycoproteins and salicylates, and substances that stimulate growth of skin and connective tissue. Aloe vera contains a number of vitamins and minerals that are necessary to healing, including vitamin C, vitamin E, and zinc. It also exerts antifungal and antibacterial effects, and thus helps to prevent wound infections. One study showed it to have a little more activity than the antiseptic silver sulfadiazine against a number of common bacteria that can infect the skin. It has moisturizing and pain relieving properties for the skin lesions, in addition to healing effects.

Aloe vera gel products may also be used internally. They should not contain the laxative chemicals found in the latex layer. There is some evidence that Aloe vera juice has a beneficial effect on peptic ulcers, perhaps inhibiting the causative bacteria, Helicobacter pylori. It appears to have a soothing effect on the ulcer, and interferes with the release of hydrochloric acid by the stomach. Colitis and other conditions of the intestinal tract may also respond favorably to the internal use of gel products. Aloe vera has been shown to exert a stabilizing effect on blood sugar in studies done on mice, indicating a possible place for it in the treatment of diabetes. One study suggested that giving Aloe vera extract orally to patients with asthma who are not dependent on steroids could improve symptoms. A health care provider should be consulted about these uses. Other suggested, but insufficiently proven, indications for oral Aloe vera gel include prevention of kidney stones and relief of arthritis pain.

Aloe vera products derived from the latex layer are taken orally for the laxative effect. They can cause painful contractions of the bowel if taken in high doses. Milder measures are recommended first.

The concentration of the immune stimulant acemannan is variable in the natural plant, as well as gel and juice products, but it is also available in a purified, standardized, pharmaceutical grade form. An injectable type is used in veterinary medicine to treat fibrosarcoma and feline leukemia, a condition caused by a virus in the same family as AIDS.

Preparations

Commercial Products

Choosing effective Aloe vera products can be challenging. Once a leaf is cut, enzymes start to break down some of the long chain sugars which make Aloe vera gel an effective healing product, so it is important for the plant to have been properly handled and stabilized. Ask for help in selecting a reputable company to buy from. When shopping for a product to use for topical healing, look for Aloe vera to be one of the first products listed to ensure that it is not too dilute to be efficacious. Commercial, stabilized gel products may not work as well as the fresh gel, but cold processing is thought to best retain the beneficial properties. The FDA does not regulate labeling of Aloe vera products.

Aloe vera juice is most often the form of the gel that is used internally. At least half of the juice should be Aloe vera gel. If laxative properties are not desired, be sure that the juice does not contain latex. A product that is made from the whole leaf does not necessarily contain anthraquinones from the latex layer, as those are water-soluble and can be separated out during processing. Capsules and tinctures of the gel are also available. Oral forms of the latex extract are generally capsules, as it is extremely bitter.

Growing Aloe At Home

For common topical use, keeping an Aloe vera plant at home is one of the easiest ways to get the freshest and most concentrated gel. It is easy to cultivate, requiring only good drainage, mild temperatures, and occasional watering. Bring the plant inside if outside temperatures are less than 40°F (4.4°C). It will tolerate either full or partial sunlight, but will require more frequent watering in full sun. Water it only when the soil has become dry. To use the gel, break off a leaf and cut it lengthwise to expose the inner layer. Scoop the gel out and apply generously to the area needing treatment. Discard whatever gel is not used immediately, as it will degenerate quickly. The inner portion of the leaf may also be applied directly to a skin injury, and bound to it.

Precautions

Aloe vera gel is generally safe for topical use, but it is best to apply it to a small area first to test for possible allergic reaction. Stinging and generalized dermatitis may result in individuals who are sensitive to it. The vast majority of the warnings apply only to products containing anthraquinones, such as aloin and barbaloin (as well as the numerous others), which are found in the latex layer of the plant. Aloe vera latex should not be used internally by women who are pregnant or lactating, or by children. This product can cause abortion or stimulate menstruation. It may pass into the milk of breastfeeding mothers. People who have abnormal kidney function, heart disease, or gastrointestinal diseases are best advised to avoid any product containing Aloe vera latex or anthraquinones. Prolonged, internal use in high doses may produce tolerance so that more is required to obtain the laxative effect. Be aware of the possibility that any Aloe vera product for internal use that is supposed to contain only the gel portion can become contaminated by the anthraquinones of the latex layer. For this reason, people who have a contraindication for using Aloe vera latex should use caution when taking an Aloe vera gel product internally.

Side Effects

Internal use of Aloe vera latex may turn the urine red, and may also cause abdominal pain or cramps when products containing anthraquinones are consumed.

Interactions

Chronic internal use of products containing Aloe vera latex may increase the likelihood of potassium loss when used concomitantly with diuretics or corticosteroids. It may possibly compound the risk of toxicity when used with cardiac glycosides (both prescription and herbal types) and antiarrhythmic drugs. Absorption of other oral medications can be decreased. Aloe vera latex should not be used with other laxative herbs, which may also lead to excessive potassium loss.

Internal use of Aloe vera gel can cause changes in blood sugar, so diabetics should monitor blood glucose levels during use, particularly if insulin or other pharmaceuticals are being used to control hyperglycemia.

Topical Aloe vera may enhance the effect of topical corticosteroids and allow a reduction in the amount of the steroid being used.

Resources

Books

Bratman, Steven and David Kroll. Natural Health Bible. Prima Health, 1999.

Chevallier, Andrew. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. DK Publishing Inc., 1996.

Jellin, J. M., F. Batz, and K. Hitchens. Pharmacist's Letter/Prescriber's Letter Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. Therapeutic Research Faculty, 1999.

Murray, Michael T. The Healing Power of Herbs. Prima Health, 1995.

[Article by: Judith Turner]

For more information on aloe, visit Britannica.com.

The dried juice of plants of the genus Aloe of the Liliaceae family. It is an anthraquinone cathartic and was at one time the favored purgative for horses. Called also aloes. The name aloe is also used to refer to the fragrant wood of the tree Aquilaria agallocha.

• a. vera — a mucinous substance obtained from the leaves of the plant, Aloe vera. Various therapeutic properties are claimed, including antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory activity. It is often used on burns.

Tutor's tip: If your friends "allow" (permit) you to use their "aloe" (plant whose juice is used medicinally), you'll feel better soon. To go "alow" is a nautical term that means below the deck.

Aloe
Aloe succotrina
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Liliopsida Order: Asparagales Family: Asphodelaceae Genus: Aloe L.
Species
See Species

Aloe, also written Aloë, is a genus containing about four hundred species of flowering succulent plants.

The genus is native to Africa and is common in South Africa's Cape Province and the mountains of tropical Africa, and neighbouring areas such as Madagascar, the Arabian peninsula and the islands off Africa.

The APG II system (2003) placed the genus in the family Asphodelaceae. In the past it has also been assigned to families Aloaceae and Liliaceae. Members of the closely allied genera Gasteria, Haworthia and Kniphofia which have a similar mode of growth, are also popularly known as aloes. Note that the plant sometimes called "American aloe" (Agave americana), belongs to Agavaceae, a different family.

Most Aloes have a rosette of large, thick, fleshy leaves. The leaves are often lance-shaped with a sharp apex and a spiny margin. Aloe flowers are tubular, frequently yellow, orange or red and are borne on densely clustered, simple or branched leafless stems.

Many species of Aloe are seemingly stemless, with the rosette growing directly at ground level; other varieties may have a branched or un-branched stem from which the fleshy leaves spring. They vary in colour from grey to bright green and are sometimes striped or mottled.

Uses

Aloe species are frequently cultivated as ornamental plants both in gardens and in pots. Many Aloe species are highly decorative and are valued by collectors of succulents. Some species, in particular Aloe vera are purported to have medicinal properties.

Other use of Aloes include their role in alternative medicines (see Herbalism) and in home first aid. Both the translucent inner pulp as well as the resinous yellow exudate from wounding the Aloe plant is used externally to relieve skin discomforts and internally as a laxative. To date, some research has shown that Aloe vera produces positive medicinal benefits for healing damaged skin. Conversely, other research suggests Aloe vera can negatively affect healing (Vogler and Ernst, 1999). In homeopathic medicine aloe is used for hemorrhoids^[1].

Some Aloe species have also been used for human consumption. For example, drinks made from or containing chunks of aloe pulp are popular in Asia as commercial beverages and as a tea additive; this is notably true in Korea.

External uses

Aloe is used externally to treat a number of skin irritations. It has antiseptic and antibiotic properties which make it highly valuable in treating cuts and abrasions. It has also been commonly used to treat first and second degree burns, as well as sunburns and poison oak, poison ivy, and poison sumac infections, and eczema. It can also be used as a hair styling gel and works especially well for curly or fuzzy hair.

Internal uses

Aloe vossii

Aloe contains a number of medicinal substances used as a purgative. The medicinal substance is produced from various species of aloe, such as A. vera, A. vulgaris, A. socotrina, A. chinensis, and A. perryi. Several kinds of aloes are commercially available: Barbadoes, Socotrine, Hepatic, Indian, and Cape aloes. Barbadoes and Socotrine are the varieties most commonly used for curative purposes ^{[citation needed]}.

Aloes are the expressed juice of the leaves of the plant. When the leaves are cut, the juice that flows out is collected and evaporated. After the juice has been removed, the leaves are sometimes boiled to yield an inferior kind of aloes. The juice of the leaves of certain species, e.g. Aloe venenosa, is poisonous.

There have been very few properly conducted studies about possible benefits of aloe gel taken internally. One study found improved wound healing in mice. Another found a positive effect of lowering risk factors in patients with heart disease. Some research has shown decreasing fasting blood sugar in diabetic animals given aloe [1]. None of these studies can be considered to be definitive, and there are many false advertising claims for aloe.

Aloe has been marketed as a remedy for coughs, wounds, ulcers, gastritis, diabetes, cancer, headaches, arthritis, immune-system deficiencies, and many other conditions when taken internally. However, these uses are unsubstantiated; the only substantiated internal use is as a laxative. Furthermore, there is evidence of potential adverse side effects (for example, acute hepatitis^[2]). Although some studies suggest that certain components of aloe such as aloe-emodin have genotoxic activity, human clinical trials and rodent carcinogenicity studies do not substantiate a genotoxic risk to humans when aloe products are consumed as directedBrusick D, Mengs U (1997). "Assessment of the genotoxic risk from laxative senna products". Environ Mol Mutagen 29 (1): 1-9. PMID 9020301. .

On May 9, 2002, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a final rule banning the use of aloe and cascara sagrada as laxative ingredients in over-the-counter drug products[2].

Chemical properties of Aloin

Split Aloe

According to W. A. Shenstone, two classes of Aloins are to be recognized: (1) nataloins, which yield picric and oxalic acids with nitric acid, and do not give a red coloration with nitric acid; and (2) barbaloins, which yield aloetic acid (C₇H₂N₃O₅), chrysammic acid (C₇H₂N₂O₆), picric and oxalic acids with nitric acid, being reddened by the acid. This second group may be divided into a-barbaloins, obtained from Barbadoes aloes, and reddened in the cold, and b-barbaloins, obtained from Socotrine and Zanzibar aloes, reddened by ordinary nitric acid only when warmed or by fuming acid in the cold. Nataloin (2C₁₇H₁₃O₇·H₂O) forms bright yellow scales. Barbaloin (C₁₇H₁₈O₇) forms yellow prismatic crystals. Aloes also contain a trace of volatile oil, to which its odour is due.^{[citation needed]}

References

Heraldry

The aloe plant (A. rubrolutea) occurs as a charge in heraldry, such as in the Civic Heraldry of Namibia [3]

Species

There are around 400 species in the genus Aloe. For a full list, see List of species of genus Aloe. Species include:

• Aloe arborescens - Aloe Arborescens Miller, used in healthcare
• Aloe aristata - Torch Plant, Lace Aloe
• Aloe dichotoma - quiver tree or kokerboom
• Aloe nyeriensis
• Aloe variegata - Partridge-breasted Aloe, Tiger Aloe
• Aloe vera Barbados Aloe, Common Aloe, Yellow Aloe, Medicinal Aloe. This is the variety used medicinally.
• Aloe wildii

References

1. ^ money gill, Roger (1993). Desktop guide to keynotes and comfirmatory symptoms. Grass Valley, CA: Hahnemann Clinic Publishing. 
2. ^ Acute hepatitis induced by an Aloe vera preparation: a case report

• Schmidt JM, Greenspoon JS (1991) Aloe vera dermal wound gel is associated with a delay in wound healing. Obstet Gynecol 1: 115-117.
• Vogler BK, Ernst E (1999) Aloe vera: a systematic review of its clinical effectiveness British Journal of General Practice 49: 823-828.
• International Aloe Science Council: http://www.iasc.org/aloe.html
• University of Maryland Medical Center: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsHerbs/Aloech.html
• Craig, Winston. The All-purpose Gel. Vibrant Life July 2001.
• Farrar, Maureen Meyers. Skin Deep. Better Nutrition July 2005.
• British Journal of General Practice, October 1999

Links

List of Southern African indigenous trees

Bibliography

• The Aloes of South Africa - Gilbert Westacott Reynolds (AA Balkema, Cape Town 1969)
• Grass Aloes in the South African Veld - Charles Craib & Gillian Condy (Umdaus Press, Pretoria 2006) ISBN 1 919766 41 3

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Aloe

• Flora of North America: Aloe
• Aloe Vera Guide Complete Information on Aloe Vera

Images

Aloe arborescens	Aloe aristata	Aloe dichotoma	Aloe hereroensis
Aloe parvula	Aloe peglerae	Aloe saponaria	Aloe saponaria flower
Aloe striatula	Aloe - unidentified

hsb:Wohnjowy alowej

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Dansk (Danish)
n. - aloesaft, aloe

Nederlands (Dutch)
aloë(sap)

Français (French)
n. - aloès

Deutsch (German)
n. - (bot.) Aloe

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (φυτολ.) αλόη

Italiano (Italian)
aloe

Português (Portuguese)
n. - aloés, áloe (m) (f) (Bot.)

Русский (Russian)
алоэ, сок алоэ, применяемый в медицине

Español (Spanish)
n. - áloe, lináloe, acíbar, zabila

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - aloe

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
芦荟, 芦荟油

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 蘆薈, 蘆薈油

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 노회(백합과의 식물), 침향

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - アロエ, アロエ汁

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) نبات الصبر : ينبت في افريقيا تستخرج منه عصاره تستخدم في الطب‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮אלווי (צמח-נוי)‬

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