foodconsumer.org: Aloe vera: What you need to know

Aloe vera: What you need to know
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admin on 09/05/2009 19:28:00
 
Introduction
Aloe vera's use can be traced back 6,000 years to early Egypt, where the plant
was depicted on stone carvings. Known as the "plant of immortality," aloe was
presented as a burial gift to deceased pharaohs.
Common Names—aloe vera, aloe, burn plant, lily of the desert, elephant's gall
Latin Names—Aloe vera, Aloe barbadensis
What It Is Used For?
Traditionally, aloe was used topically to heal wounds and for various skin
conditions, and orally as a laxative.
Today, in addition to traditional uses, people take aloe orally to treat a
variety of conditions, including diabetes, asthma, epilepsy, and osteoarthritis.
People use aloe topically for osteoarthritis, burns, and sunburns.
Aloe vera gel can be found in hundreds of skin products, including lotions and
sunblocks.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved aloe vera as a natural food
flavoring.
The herb may also find other applications as described below cited from
wikipedia.
Medicinal uses
Scientific evidence for the cosmetic and therapeutic effectiveness of Aloe vera
is limited and when present is typically contradictory. Despite this, the
cosmetic and alternative medicine industries regularly make claims regarding the
soothing, moisturising and healing properties of Aloe vera, especially via
Internet advertising. Aloe vera gel is used as an ingredient in commercially
available lotion, yogurt, beverages and some desserts. Aloe vera juice is used
for consumption and relief of digestive issues such as heartburn and irritable
bowel syndrome. It is common practice for cosmetic companies to add sap or other
derivatives from Aloe vera to products such as makeup, tissues, moisturizers,
soaps, sunscreens, incense, razors and shampoos. It has also been suggested that
biofuels could be obtained from Aloe vera seeds. Other uses for extracts of Aloe
vera include the dilution of semen for the artificial fertilization of sheep,
use as fresh food preservative, and use in water conservation in small farms.
Aloe vera juice for ingestion.
Aloe vera has a long association with herbal medicine, although it is not known
when its medical applications were first discovered. Early records of Aloe vera
use appear in the Ebers Papyrus from 16th century BCE, in both Dioscorides' De
Materia Medica and Pliny the Elder's Natural History written in the mid-first
century CE along with the Juliana Anicia Codex produced in 512 CE. Aloe vera is
non-toxic, with no known side effects, provided the aloin has been removed by
processing. Taking Aloe vera that contains aloin in excess amounts has been
associated with various side effects. However, the species is used widely in the
traditional herbal medicine of China, Japan, Russia, South Africa, the United
States, Jamaica and India.
Aloe vera is alleged to be effective in treatment of wounds. Evidence on the
effects of Aloe vera sap on wound healing, however, is limited and
contradictory. Some studies, for example, show that Aloe vera promotes the rates
of healing,  while in contrast, other studies show that wounds to which Aloe
vera gel was applied were significantly slower to heal.  A more recent review
(2007) concludes that the cumulative evidence supports the use of Aloe vera for
the healing of first to second degree burns. In addition to topical use in wound
or burn healing, internal intake of Aloe vera has been linked with improved
blood glucose levels in diabetics, and with lower blood lipids in
hyperlipidaemic patients. In other diseases, preliminary studies have suggested
oral Aloe vera gel may reduce symptoms and inflammation in patients with
ulcerative colitis. Compounds extracted from Aloe vera have been used as an
immunostimulant that aids in fighting cancers in cats and dogs; however, this
treatment has not been scientifically tested in humans. The injection of Aloe
vera extracts to treat cancer has resulted in the deaths of several patients.
Topical application of Aloe vera may be effective for genital herpes and
psoriasis. However, it is not effective for the prevention of radiation-induced
injuries, nor does it offer protection from sunburn or suntan. In a double-blind
clinical trial the group using an Aloe vera containing dentifrice and the group
using a fluoridated dentifrice both demonstrated a statistically significant
reduction of gingivitis and plaque.
Aloe vera extracts have antibacterial and antifungal activities. Aloe vera
extracts have been shown to inhibit the growth of fungi that cause tinea,
however, evidence for control beneath human skin remains to be established. For
bacteria, inner-leaf gel from Aloe vera was shown to inhibit growth of
Streptococcus and Shigella species in vitro. In contrast, Aloe vera extracts
failed to show antibiotic properties against Xanthomonas species.
How It Is Used?
Aloe leaves contain a clear gel that is often used as a topical ointment.
The green part of the leaf that surrounds the gel can be used to produce a juice
or a dried substance (called latex) that is taken by mouth.
What the Science Says?
Aloe latex contains strong laxative compounds. Products made with various
components of aloe (aloin, aloe-emodin, and barbaloin) were at one time
regulated by the FDA as oral over-the-counter (OTC) laxatives. In 2002, the FDA
required that all OTC aloe laxative products be removed from the U.S. market or
reformulated because the companies that manufactured them did not provide the
necessary safety data.
Early studies show that topical aloe gel may help heal burns and abrasions. One
study, however, showed that aloe gel inhibits healing of deep surgical wounds.
Aloe gel does not prevent burns from radiation therapy.
There is not enough scientific evidence to support aloe vera for any of its
other uses.
Side Effects and Cautions
Use of topical aloe vera is not associated with significant side effects.
Abdominal cramps and diarrhea have been reported with oral use of aloe vera.
Diarrhea, caused by the laxative effect of oral aloe vera, can decrease the
absorption of many drugs.
People with diabetes who use glucose-lowering medication should be cautious if
also taking aloe by mouth because preliminary studies suggest aloe may lower
blood glucose levels.
Tell your health care providers about any complementary and alternative
practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your
health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care.
Sources
Aloe. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Web site. June 5, 2007.
Aloe (Aloe vera). Natural Standard Database Web site. Accessed on June 3, 2007.
Wikipedia