Aloe Leaf
Properties: mucilaginous, bitter, vulnerary, laxative, demulcent, emollient, emmenagogue, astringent
Systems Affected: structural, digestive
Folk History and Use:
The word Aloe is derived from the Arabic “alloeh” meaning bitter and shiny substance.
Columbians use Aloe as an insect repellant. The Spanish conquistadors found Central American Indians using Aloe for burns, skin and stomach ulcers, dysentery, intestinal disorders, longevity, kidney disorders, prostatitis and sexual prowess. Mixed with rum and sugar, Aloe is a cold remedy in Cuba.
In Java, Aloe juice is massaged into hair and scalp to improve its condition and stimulate growth.
Documented cases of radiation burn victims from the atomic bombs used in Japan show more rapid healing using Aloe than any other method of burn treatment.
Today’s consumer should be warned of such marketing fluff since fresh, whole Aloe plants are so common and work so simply. Many marketers insist that a product is better because of some extraction, distillation, and concentration or flavoring process performed on their Aloe product. However, Aloe is one medicinal plant where natural is truly best.
Aloe works most effectively when the mucilage is taken from the growing plant as it is sterile and will not contaminate a burn or wound with bacteria. The juice must be refrigerated or treated with a preservative system. However, one good use of processed Aloe is freeze-dried Aloe capsules that are handy to have in any first aid kit. These capsules can be rehydrated in a glass of water and applied to sunburn or other wound.
The quality of Aloe juice is easily determined with a simple test to find the concentration of mucilage in the Aloe solution. Add a urine sugar test tablet, developed to test for diabetes (manufactured by Ames Co. “Clinitest”), to ½ teaspoon of Aloe juice. A color is produced that, when matched to a color strip provided in the kit, will give an indication of the mucilage content of the Aloe. This color can be compared to the color of fresh Aloe juice.
A comparison color can be obtained from fresh leaves by the following procedure: wash the leaves, cut off the ends, remove green rind and take the gel filet out. Grind it in a blender to break up gel structure. Filter to remove the pulp. The juice serves as a standard for comparison. The test indicates the amount of reducing sugars (mucopolysaccharides) present in the sample. Fresh Aloe usually contains 0.25 -0.5 percent mucilage.
Aloe’s major properties are as a cell proliferant, healer, demulcent and allergy reducer. Therefore, 90% of the treatments using Aloe use it alone. For topical application to skin ulcers, burns, irritations and bites, no combination of herbs works better than Aloe used alone.
However, effective poultices are made using Aloe juice mixed with comfrey powder and adding a little golden seal root as an infection fighter for cuts and scratches.
Medicinal Properties
Definite Action
Cathartic (anthraquinones)
The benefits of viscous fiber
Lowers bowel transit time
Absorbs toxins in the bowel
Demulcent to digestive tract
Cell proliferant (mucopolysaccharides)
Probable Action
Antibiotic (mucopolysaccharides)
Aloe juice is not complex chemically as many herbs are. The juice itself consists of 99.5% water. The remaining 0.5% of the juice consists of the following:
1- A complex mixture of mucopolysaccharides. This is the mucilage of Aloe. Interestingly, the polysaccharides in Aloe show action similar to hyaluronic acid.
2- Varying amounts of anthraquinone glucosides consisting mainly of aloin and Aloe emodin. These are the bitter gripping cathartic principles. They are easily identified by their yellow-orange color and their presence should be minimized in juice used internally on inflammations.
Typical Daily Usage
External
Generously cover affected area up to hourly with comfrey leaf as a poultice.
Internal
Fresh Leaf: 1 tablespoon
Chemical constituents
Bitter compounds
Anthraglycosides (cathartic)
Barbaloin (c-glucoside of Aloe emodin)
Aloesin (c-glucoside of Aloesone)
Anthraquinones
Aloe emodin
Saponins
Not characterized
Mucilagionous compounds
Polysaccharides (o.5-1.0%)
Nutrients of Note
Water when fresh: 99.5%
Water when air dried: 8.9%
Sugars: 4% (xylose, arabinose, galactose)
Nuttitional Profile
Very High in: Crude Fiber, Vitamin C
High in: Carbohydrate, Dietary Fiber, Selenium.
Average: Calories, Niacin, silicon, sodium, Tin, Vitamin A, Zinc.
Low: Calcium, Fat, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Thiamine.
Very Low: Aluminum, Ash, Chromium, cobalt, Manganese, Potassium, Protein, Riboflavin.
Reference: Nutritional Herbology by Mark Pederson
Natural Health Hut
