Common names:  Aloe vera, Babosa, Barbados aloe, Cape aloe, Curaçao aloe, Sábila, Zábila.

Scientific name:  Aloe spp.

Where it is found:  Aloe vera is possibly one of the most commonly used medicinal plants in the world There are more than 400 different species of Aloe, but the ones that are more commonly used commercially include: A. vera, A. barbadensis and A. capensis or “Cape Aloe”. The majority of them are native to Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Several species of aloes have been used for centuries in traditional medicine in Europe, Africa, and Arabia.  Various species of aloes were originally brought to America by the Spanish explorers in the sixteenth century and there are currently several Aloe plantations in various countries around the world, including the United States.

Parts of plant used:  The leaves. The clear gel and the yellowish latex are both contained in the leaves, although each product has a distinct chemical composition and a different therapeutic application.

How to use Aloe:  The clear gel (known commercially as the “juice”) is scraped from the leaf and can be applied directly to the skin in order to treat scrapes and minor burns. Whole leaf preparations contain both the gel as well as the yellowish bitter juice or “latex”, but should not be taken internally unless under professional supervision and for a limited time. 

Uses:  The gel is commonly used to treat minor cuts and burns and to help heal wounds. It is also contained in a variety of cosmetics including skin crèmes, lotions, and shampoos. The gel contains a compound known as beta-sitosterol, which promotes wound healing.

The gel from the leaves can be useful applied as a poultice to treat scratches or minor skin burns in order to speed up healing.

NOTE, Aloe is not useful when applied to deep cuts or wounds, such as those that occur in some surgical interventions. For this reason, it is best to avoid its use in these cases.

Aloe leaves are sometimes taken internally for their laxative and hypoglycemic (blood sugar lowering) properties.  Products containing aloe leaves have also been used internally to treat stomach ulcers, diabetes, cancer, gastric ulcers, and to expel intestinal worms. 

NOTE, the use of whole- leaf preparations should be avoided internally, especially during pregnancy and lactation, as well as in prolonged treatments, as they can have a very irritating effect upon the gastrointestinal tract.

Safety/Precautions:

• Avoid ingesting any whole leaf Aloe preparations during pregnancy and lactation.
• The gel is generally considered safe if applied to the skin, although there are rare cases of allergic reactions in certain sensitive individuals.
• Preparations made from the entire leaves’ laxatives should not be taken internally, especially for prolonged treatments, due to the irritating effects on the digestive and urinary tracts.
• Evidence from studies using rats and mice indicate that long- term ingestion of whole leaf preparations (extracts) or certain compounds found in aloe (aloin, for example), could eventually lead to cellular abnormalities in the colon, including cancer.
• Avoid the use of Aloe products as a laxative, especially in patients with colitis, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or in case of intestinal obstruction.
• Long term internal use of whole leaf preparations could induce hypokalemia (low potassium levels) that could theoretically interact with certain heart medications.

Before you decide to take any medicinal herb or herbal supplement, be sure to consult with your health care professional first. Avoid self-diagnosis and self-medication: Always be on the safe side!