Aug 4 2022
Aloe vera is one of the over 300 species of Aloe belonging to the Asphodelaceae family. This perennial succulent is native to Africa and has also adapted to regions in the Middle East, the Caribbean, South America, and Asia. If the climate is warm enough Aloe vera will thrive. Aloe has thick green-yellow fleshy leaves with spines on the outer edges. When the Aloe blooms it reaches heights of 2ft-3ft with unbranched inflorescences that produce stunning yellow flowers, that slightly resemble tiny bananas. They are also edible and have been used in teas to treat a variety of digestive issues. This is an ancient medicinal plant with the first written record found on Sumerian clay tablets, dating back to 1750 BCE. However, the first in-depth record of its medicinal uses can be traced to the Papyrus Ebers, which are Egyptian records of various herbs and their medicinal benefits. Egyptians called this miraculous plant Khet-awa, translated as “the plant of immortality” (Nice, 2000). It is even rumored that Egyptian queens Nefertiti and Cleopatra incorporated this plant for cosmetic purposes, using it daily on their skin.
Aloe vera has become a modern household item whether it is found in its natural state as a plant, or more commonly in our time as lotions, tinctures, and gels. There is a strong association between Aloe vera and burn wounds. This is because Aloe is famous for alleviating burn wounds and skin injuries. This “magic” can be attributed to the "75 potentially active constituents: vitamins, enzymes, minerals, sugars, lignin, saponins, salicylic acids and amino acids" (Surjushe, et al., 2008) found in the plant. Mucopolysaccharide (MPS) acemannan are one of the compounds present in the plant's gel and juice. MPS acemannan is known to stimulate the production of macrophages or specialized white blood cells that detect and engulf bacteria to remove it from the body. MPS also “help boost the immune system, lubricate joints, and line the colon” (Nice, 2000). Aloe gel, when topically applied to a wound or burn will increase the blood supply by dilating blood vessels , and also acts as an anesthetic (Gage, 1996). Of the 75 active compounds found in the plant some are also anti-inflammatory. “It has been postulated that by reducing heat and swelling and increasing the flow of blood and oxygen to the damaged tissues, the gel helps to minimize excessive damage” (Fisher, 1991). Its treatment in burns and wounds are two of many.
Aloe has been used as treatment for a wide range of ailments such as: acne, digestive issues, allergies, gum disease, mouth ulcers, alopecia, dandruff, menstrual cramps, eczema, and varicose veins. This plant's folk medicinal uses vary according to the culture and geographic location. For example, in Latin America Aloe is used to allegedly treat gonorrhea, acid reflex, and leucorrhea (Aloe vera, 1986). The wonderful aspect of this plant can be traced back to its drought-resistant properties. In botany it is classified as xeroid, meaning that the Aloe vera plant has the ability to “close off their cells to retain fluid immediately when they are cut…this is what makes Aloe vera so useful” (Bloomfield, 1985). When you cut an Aloe leaf it does not harm the plant due to this ability to seal off immediately and heal itself. While science can now explain a lot of the biological mechanisms that make this plant a go-to for a variety of maladies, there is still a lot of research to be done to back-up many anecdotal claims. With the knowledge we do have, Aloe seems to have a multitude of uses, some that we have yet to explore.