Aloe

Aloe barbadensis

Aloe

Aloe is one of the most commonly used health plants of all time. The genus is native to Africa, and is very common in South Africa’s Cape Province. Aloe has been widely cultivated throughout the world and especially in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, in the United States. Although Aloe Vera is a tropical plant, the root can survive freezing air temperatures, so long as the ground is not frozen and the root destroyed. One of the first recorded accounts in our understanding of Aloe can be found in the Greek Herbal of Dioscorides (41 A.D.-68 A.D.). This master of Roman pharmacology developed his knowledge and skill as he traveled with that great empire’s armies.

What is Aloe Used For?

As is the case with many health plants, the function depends on the form in which the plant is delivered. Aloe vera products are made from the juice, the gel, and the whole leaf, and come in tablets, capsules, juices, gels, topical ointments, and lotions. Aloe gel and juice are considered demulcent, and have soothing properties for the skin. A group of plant chemicals called Polysaccharides is also present in Aloe although only found in preparations using the Whole Leaf, since these immune supporting chemicals are not found in the inner gel or juice, but in the “skin” or outer parts of the plant. In summary, Aloe support the body’s natural elimination processes, and soothes the intestinal tract, mucous membranes and skin.