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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, which 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.