Aloe Vera

Common Names: Aloe Vera, True Aloe, Medicinal Aloe, Aloe barbadensis, Aloe vulgaris, Barbados Aloe, Aloe africana, Aloe lanzae, Indian Aloe, Burn Plant, Lily of the Desert, Eleva, Candelabra Aloe, international: Aloe vera, Latin: Aloe barbadensis Miller, English: Aloe Vera, origin: Sudan, Arabian Peninsula, Socotra, Canary Islands, Somalia, South Africa

Latin Name: Aloe barbadensis/vera

Origin: Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, South America

Short Introduction

Aloe Vera is grown outdoors in regions where winter nighttime temperatures do not drop below -5°C (23°F). Its optimal growing temperature is between 19–25°C (66–77°F). In Europe, suitable areas include coastal regions of southern Italy and Spain. In cooler, more northerly locations, Aloe Vera should be cultivated as a greenhouse or houseplant. In the Czech Republic, it is recommended to use ceramic pots with porous bottoms, provide moderate watering, ample sunlight, and avoid exposing the plant to the cold. Aloe Vera is rare in the Czech environment but can be seen at the Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants of the Charles University Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové.

Aloe Vera requires a lot of sunlight but is undemanding about soil quality. Although it thrives in richer soils, it will also grow in poor (even saline) soils, albeit more slowly. The optimal soil is sandy and slightly alkaline (pH up to 8.5) with enough inorganic nitrogen. Aloe Vera does not need much water, and if humidity is adequate, can survive without watering for several years. However, it does not tolerate waterlogged or poorly drained soils.

Aloe Vera is planted at varying densities; yields of fresh leaves can reach several tens of tons per plantation annually. Plants can live up to 10 years. Harvest time varies: later in India (autumn), and in the Caribbean about half a year earlier (spring). For latex, 2-year-old plants are harvested; gel is taken from 3–5-year-old plants. Before planting, soil should be fertilized (e.g., cow manure and nitrogen-rich organic additives). Harvesting is manual, cutting the oldest leaves from the rosette.

For home cultivation, Aloe Vera is best propagated by offsets or cuttings, as seeds tend to germinate poorly and seedlings grow slowly. Offsets naturally sprout by the mother plant in summer and are harvested when about 10 cm tall. Cuttings are taken from the rhizome in 5–6 cm segments, each with 2–3 nodes.

Detailed Description

Aloe Vera is a medicinal herb valued for external use on burns and wounds, and internally as a laxative.

Botanical Information

Aloe Vera is a succulent plant that can reach up to 100 cm in height. Its leaves are sessile, up to 50 cm long, several centimeters wide, lance-shaped, thick, and rigid due to a dense cuticle that retains water. The leaves are pale green (due to chlorophyll-rich parenchyma just beneath the skin), and may sometimes be spotted. The inner fleshy layer comprises 20–30% of the leaf and contains vascular tissue. Leaf margins are regularly toothed. The stem is generally short. Flowers are tubular, yellow-red, stalked, about 3 cm long, forming a raceme up to 40 cm long and several centimeters wide. The fruit is a capsule with three chambers containing many seeds.

Origin and Distribution

The exact origin of Aloe Vera is not fully known; it is believed to come from the Nile basin in Sudan. Experts also consider Arabia, Socotra, the Canary Islands, or Somalia as possible origins, as many cultures do not distinguish between Aloe Vera and Cape Aloe, and southern Africa is sometimes listed as a native area. Today, Aloe Vera is cultivated wherever conditions allow, and it is commercially grown for export worldwide. In Europe, it is grown under supervision in Mediterranean regions such as Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Crete, and Sicily. Globally, it is farmed in India, Thailand, Bangladesh, China (Yunnan), Madeira, the Canary Islands, Caribbean islands (Jamaica, Dominican Republic), Mexico, Cuba, the southern USA (Texas, Florida, Arizona), Australia, and much of Africa (notably Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa).

Usage / Dosage

Aloe Vera’s reputation suffered in the mid-to-late 20th century, when studies questioned its safety and efficacy in modern medicine, despite centuries of use in traditional healing. A turning point came in 2006, when comprehensive analysis of Aloe Vera’s complex content sparked renewed scientific interest and highlighted the need for further study.

For wound and burn healing, Aloe Vera is considered an excellent option. Gel extracts have been shown in numerous studies to support faster healing, reduce inflammation, stimulate fibroblast growth leading to collagen production (strengthening tissue), and promote the formation of new tissue. The gel creates a protective film, restores blood supply to the affected area, increases oxygen and nutrient flow, and helps remove impurities. Studies consistently report faster wound closure, reduced necrotic tissue, and stimulation of cell regeneration compared to placebo.

Externally, Aloe Vera is widely used to soothe symptoms of cuts, abrasions, burns, insect bites, bruises, acne, skin ulcers, eczema, and for protection against gamma and UV radiation. Its gel has astringent and emollient properties, and has been shown to offer mild antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial effects against certain pathogens. Since 1996, two substances from Aloe Vera gel (C-glucosyl chromone and mannose-6-phosphate) have been documented to have anti-inflammatory effects.

One of the oldest uses of Aloe Vera latex is as a laxative. The effect is due to glycosidic derivatives of anthraquinone, mainly barbaloin (aloin) and its less potent analogue isobarbaloin. These compounds are metabolized in the colon to active laxatives, which increase colonic peristalsis and mucus production, promoting bowel movements—effects stronger than those from buckthorn or senna.

Aloe Vera also contains unique carbohydrates such as acemannan, glucomannan, and galactogalacturonan, and a recently discovered glycoprotein known as alprogen (naming may vary). These have demonstrated antiallergic and immunostimulatory effects, as well as anti-inflammatory action. Clinical studies have shown that Aloe Vera compounds exhibit mild antiviral and antibacterial action, and can be bactericidal towards strains such as Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, certain Streptococci, Salmonella, and Staphylococci.

Recent research on cancer has investigated emodin, a compound present in small quantities in Aloe Vera leaves, for its ability to halt the growth of tumor cells without affecting healthy tissues. Lectins in Aloe Vera may also stimulate healthy cell division while not encouraging tumor cell growth.

Aloe Vera is increasingly popular worldwide, especially in home and alternative medicine. It is regarded as one of the most effective remedies for healing burns and cut wounds. In India, China, the Caribbean, many African states, Pakistan, and Arabia, as well as the West, Aloe Vera is valued as a gentle laxative for chronic constipation, and fresh juice is considered a first choice for purulent wounds, scars, burns, and eczema.

In homeopathy, Aloe Vera at potencies D3 or D4 is used for constipation, diarrhea, hemorrhoids, and for various skin conditions (inflammation, fungal patches). In India, fresh Aloe Vera juice has long been used as an emmenagogue (to increase pelvic circulation), and for liver and menstrual issues. Ayurveda refers to Aloe Vera latex for deworming, cleansing, and easing painful hemorrhoids. Traditional Chinese Medicine prescribes Aloe Vera for gastritis, abdominal pain, indigestion, heartburn, hypertension, headaches, dizziness, and acne. Aloe Vera latex is considered cold and bitter, clearing heat especially in the liver and heart meridians. In Arabia, fresh Aloe juice would be placed on the forehead for headaches from sun exposure or fever.

Reviews published in 2009 indicate that Aloe Vera ingredients may have a mild hypoglycemic effect in diabetes and a mild hypolipidemic effect in hyperlipidemia. A 2007 review evaluated Aloe Vera’s effect in burn and wound therapy as 'an accumulation of evidence supporting its effectiveness in the treatment of burn injuries,' though further research is warranted.

Serious adverse effects have been described only in cases of acute overdose of Aloe Vera latex. Contraindications include pregnancy, breastfeeding, and children under ten, due to insufficient data. Latex should not be given to those with severe inflammatory bowel diseases, colic, bleeding hemorrhoids, or kidney inflammation. Use for more than two weeks at laxative doses should be overseen by a physician.

Active Compounds

Aloe Vera features a remarkable range of active constituents. The latex, found in the milky sap, contains many compounds, most notably hydroxyanthrone glycosides such as barbaloin (aloin) and hydroxyaloin, both with laxative effects. Over 80 active ingredients have been identified, though more remain undiscovered. Emodin, structurally similar to aloin and described above, is also present. Additionally, the latex contains minerals, essential oils, ketones, amino acids, sterols (e.g., lupeol, kaempferol), tannins, enzymes, and aldehydes. Its glycosidic content features O- and C-glycosides, free and bound anthrones and dianthrones. Polysaccharides found in the latex include pectins, acemannan, glucomannan, and mannose.

Traditional Dosage

For Aloe Vera juice, the recommended daily dosage is 50–75 ml, ideally starting at the lower end. The daily amount may be divided into 2 or 3 servings, taken alone or diluted in water or fruit juice, best 30–60 minutes before meals. Shake well before use, and consume within 2 months of opening. For external use, juice or gel can be applied directly to wounded, burned, or acne-prone skin.