Medicinal uses : Aloe has been well known for centuries for its healing properties, and both oral intake and topical dressings have been documented to facilitate healing of any kind of skin wound, burn, or scald - even speeding recovery time after surgery.  Situations to try it on include blisters, insect bites, rashes, sores, herpes, urticaria, athlete's foot, fungus, vaginal infections, conjunctivitis, sties, allergic reactions, and dry skin. The raw plant is best, but commercial preparations can also be used, especially for taking orally, as this plant tastes horrible.  Other topical uses include acne, sunburn, frostbite (it appears to prevent decreased blood flow), shingles, screening out x-ray radiation, psoriasis, preventing scarring, rosacea, warts, wrinkles from aging, and eczema.  

Internally, aloe is showing real promise in the fight against AIDS, and the virus has become undetectable in some patients who used it on a regular basis, due to its immune system stimulant properties.  It also seems to help prevent opportunistic infections in cases of HIV and AIDS.  It appears to be of help in cancer patients (including lung cancer) by activating the white blood cells and promoting growth of non-cancerous cells.  The National Cancer Institute has included Aloe Vera in their recommendations for increased testing because of these apparent cancer fighting properties.  Taken orally, aloe also appears to work on heartburn, arthritis and rheumatism pain and asthma, and studies have shown that it has an effect on lowering blood sugar levels in diabetics.  Other situations in which it appears to work when taken internally include congestion, intestinal worms, indigestion, stomach ulcers, colitis, hemorrhoids, liver problems such as cirrhosis and hepatitis, kidney infections, urinary tract infections,  prostate problems, and as a general detoxifier. Lastly, many people who take aloe internally report just feeling better overall, which is in and of itself something of a testament to its remarkable properties.

Habitat: Planted in Indian gardens. Many of the form species are naturalized in India and are found in a semi wild state in all parts from the dry westward valleys of Himalayas to Cape Co Morin. It is commonly found in field borders along paths, slopes in various parts of Himachal Pradesh below 1500m elevations.

Macroscopic identification : A perennial fleshy plant. Leaves sessile, crowded, lanceolate, erect, spreading, spiny toothed at margin, fleshy. Flowers: on a scape, scaly branched and longer than leaves, yellow in color. Fruit: capsule.

Parts used : leaves, fresh juice, pulp, root.

Pharmacological action : the plant is bitter, cooling, purgative, abortificant, cathartic, stomachic, blood purifier, emmanogogue, alterative aphrodisiac, antihelmentic, useful in eyes and uterine complaints.

Action and uses in Ayurveda : bhedi, pittanirharna, rajahpravartak, jvarahar

Indications : Fresh juice is cooling and cathartic. Plant is stomachic purgative, emmanogogue, and antihelmentic. Dried juice is cathartic. Pulp is used in menstrual suppression and root in colic. It is purgative, cholagogue, anti-inflammatory, alterative, tonic, and antihelmentic.

Photochemical : The chemicals isolated are alion, isobarbaloin, emodin. Gum rasin contains anthraquinone erivatives like emodin ans chrysophanic acid. Whole leaf contains uronic acid. Pulp contains uronic acid, oxidase, catalase and sugars. Pulp contains glucoside, barbaloin, b- barbaloin and aloe-emodin.

• Central nervous system: aloe settles nerves and calms the nervous system.
• Blood and haemopoeitic tissue: it is a blood alkalinize.
• Cardiovascular system: it dilates the blood capillaries and increases the blood circulation
• Digestive system: It is taken internally for peptic ulcers or gastritis. Its juice is consumed as prevention and for treatment of many gastric disorders. Large dose of juice is laxative.
• Skin: Leaves are used to treat ulcers. The gel is used for acceleration of wound healing; epithelialization of skin burns and moisturizing dry skin. The transparent gel that is found inside its leaf is used as a domestic emergency treatment in burns, injuries and solar errythema; it is also applied externally on hemorrhoids for good cicatrisation. It breaks down and digests dead tissue and enhances normal cell growth and hastens healing. It acts as an antipruritic and stops itching
• Nutrition and metabolism: Aloe Vera contains at least two active compounds that decrease the levels of sugar in the blood and its extract is also used in patients with hypoglycemia. It provides number of minerals, vitamins, and enzymes.
• Genito-urinary system: it is an emmanogogue and is also used an abortificant.
• Musculoskeletal system: it penetrates up to the 7 layers of tissue and anesthesis tissue relieving joint and musculature pain
• Hair: aloe regenerates hair follicles and heals seborrhea
• Immunity system: This plant has antibacterial, anti fungicidal and antiviral properties. It is a natural cleanser and detoxifier. Aloe is an antibacterial and antibiotic and anti fungal hence controls candida infections.

Use of aloe vera in digestive disorders :

The Science and Medicine Institute of Linus Pauling in California, confirmed the beneficial effect of the consumption of Aloe Vera over the digestive system. Taking daily, the juice of the leaves of Aloe Vera produces a great improvement in persons with diseased digestive apparatus, colitis, heartburn and irritable colon. Action of the Aloe Vera juice was also proved as an antiacid and healer in treatments as gastritis and ulcer.

Effect of Aloe Vera on inflammation :

1. Some aloe vera derivatives show anti-inflammatory activities by inhibiting prostanoid production in damage tissue. The extracts mediate certain other anti-inflammatory mechanism that blocks the antigens. It reduces neutrophil caused tissue damage during body defense mechanism. Research revels aloe' effect on inflammation by Dr. Ian Tizard, Texas A and M University                                    

2. In 1982, several studies compared Aloe to Prednisolone and Indomethacin (common antiinflammatory drugs) and were found to be as effective as the drugs without the long-term toxicity and side effects. This also explains why Aloe is effective treatment for arthritis, colitis, ulcers, burns, cuts, abrasions, and many inflammatory conditions of the digestive system. Aloe juice has also been effective in allergic reactions, acid indigestion, and in lowering blood pressure and cholesterol.

Aloe vera a boon for dentist:
There are eight main uses of aloe vera in dental practice:

1. Application of aloe vera directly at the site of periodontal surgery.
2. Applications to the gum tissues when they have been traumatized or scratched by toothbrush, sharp foods, dental floss, and toothpick injuries.
3. Chemical burns are relieved quickly with the use of aloe.
4. Site of tooth extraction responds more comfortably when treated with aloe.
5. Acute mouth lesions such as herpetic viral lesions, apthous ulcers, canker sores, and cracks occurring at the corners of lips are improved by direct application on. Gum abscesses are soothed by the applications as well.
6. Diseases such as Lichen Planus and Benign Pemephigus , AIDS and Leukemia are also relieved Migratory glossititis, geographic tongue and Burning Mouth Syndrome are improved.
7. Denture patients with sore ridges and ill-fitting dentures and partials can benefit as funguses and bacterial contamination reduce the inflammatory irritations.
8. Aloe Vera can also be used around dental implants to control inflammation from bacterial contamination

By Dr. Timothy E. Moore, M.S., P.C. Oklahoma University, Baylor University, and Loma Linda.]

Nutritive value of aloe : 13 mineral have been isolated from aloe

• Aluminum
• Calcium
• Sulphur
• Chlorine
• Iron
• Copper (belongs to the trace elements.)
• Sodium
• Manganese (belongs to the trace elements)
• Potassium.
• Chrome
• Magnesium
• Zinc
• Potassium

• Oxidase
• Amylase
• Bradykinase
• Cellulase
• Catalase
• Lipase
• Creatine Phosphokinase
• Protease
• Pentosane
• Alimase
• SGOT transaminase
• Lactic Dehydrogenase
• Phosphatase
• 5`Nucleotidase
• SPOT transaminase
• SGPT-Transaminase

13 vitamins

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin B1
• Vitamin B2
• Vitamin B3
• Vitamin B6.
• Vitamin B12
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Niacin
• Caratonoids
• Cholin
• Folic acid
•  
•  
•  

4 essential fatty acids

24 amino acids

7 essential amino acids.

11 anthraquinone

14 mucopolysaccharides
International Aloe Science Council, Inc. Article (August 2003)

Use of aloe as an antiseptic :

The Aloe Vera plant produces at least 6 antiseptic agents: lupeol, salicylic acid, urea nitrogen, cinnamonic acid, phenol, and sulphur. All of these substances are recognized as antiseptics because they exhibit antimicrobial activity. Aloe has been used to eliminate many internal and external infections, wounds, and ulcers. Lupeol, salicylic acid, and magnesium are very effective analgesics. This explains why Aloe is effective in alleviating pain.

Use of aloe in psoriasis

One randomised, double blind trial assessed topical 0.5% hydrophilic aloe vera cream compared with placebo cream in 60 patients with mild to moderate chronic plaque-type psoriasis over four weeks. Patients were followed-up for 12 months. The rate of cure was significantly better with aloe vera (83% ) than with placebo (7%) with no relapses. Vogler BK

Ernst E. Aloe vera: a systematic review of its clinical effectiveness. British Journal of General Practice 1999;49:823-828.

Use of aloe in Wound healing:  

1. ne nonrandomised, unblinded study assessed wound healing with polyethylene oxide wound gel or polyethylene oxide wound gel saturated with aloe vera in 17 patients with acne vulgaris. Half-face treatments were carried out so that each patient received both treatments. By day 5, 90% of wounds were healed (complete re-epithelialisation) with aloe vera compared with 40-50% without aloe vera. Wound healing was 72 hours faster with aloe vera.  Vogler BK, Ernst E. Aloe vera: a systematic review of its clinical effectiveness. British Journal of General Practice 1999;49:823-828.
2. One randomised, unblinded trial assessed wound healing with standard wound care with or without aloe vera dermal gel every 8-12 hours in 40 women after gynaecologic surgery. All women had complications of wound healing after surgery. Details of the standard treatment were not provided and 50% of women did not complete the trial. Mean healing time (to completely epithelialised wound) was significantly longer with aloe vera (83 days) than with standard treatment (53 days).  Vogler BK, Ernst E. Aloe vera: a systematic review of its clinical effectiveness. British Journal of General Practice 1999;49:823-828.

Dose: powder-125-500mg
Fresh juice 10-20 ml

Capsule aloe vera contains pure and concentrated aloe vera.
Dosage: one capsule twice a day
Package size: 60 capsules

References:

1. Dr.KM Nadkarni, The Indian Materia Medica, Vol.I, pg 76-77
2. Prof P.V Sharma, Dravya Guna Vigyana, Vol II, pg 446-450
3. The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia Of India, Part I, Vol.I, pg 62
4. R.N Chopra, S.L. Nayar, I.C. Chopra, NISC, Glossary Of Indian Medicinal Plants pg12-13
5. Medicinal and aromatic plants of Himachal Pradesh, by Dr. Narain Singh Chauhan pg 90 .